Gendered Language and On-Line Power Relations

Paper Summary:

On-Line discourse today consists in large part of adult users who are essentially "mapping' power relations in terms of gendered language use as they are understood in off-line contemporary society onto computer mediated forums. This paper examines the relationship between gender and language in the medium of the online classroom discussion forum. It also looks at possible contrasts with gender identities in future generations of Internet users.

From the Paper:

"The students using the online class forum are in a peculiar position, in that they are the last part of the only group in technological history for whom the Internet will be an indispensable tool in terms of future occupations, but for whom the Internet was not an educational tool learned and familiarized in childhood (learned simultaneously with the acquisition of written language). That computer and Internet use including online messaging is now used by and marketed to very young children, future generations of online users will grow up with a different understanding of identity in online culture. As children use the Internet as an educational and social forum, they will have a greater innate recognition of the power relations inherent in language use, and ways in which to manipulate these linguistic power relations in order to steer online communication."

More papers on Gendered Language and On-Line Power Relations:

• Essay # 7088 : "On-line Collaboration: How and Why?"
• Analytical Essay # 29238 : "On-Line Grocery Retailing Industry"
• Comparison Essay # 50590 : "Power Relations in "Antigone" and "The Tempest"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: