Inhabiting Cyberspace in India: Theory, Perspectives, and Challenges

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Acknowledgements Contents Editors and Contributors 1 Introduction Cyber-Critiques: Of Exclusion, Surveillance, and Co-optation Cyber-Politics: The New Media and Alternative Modes of Resistance Cyber-Aesthetics and Narratives of Leisure Cyber-Narratives: Roleplaying, Interactivity, and Authority References Part ICyber-Critiques: Of Exclusion, Surveillance and Co-optation 2 Finless Fishes in the Cyberian Sea: Internet and Exclusion in India Introduction References 3 Surveillance as Norm A Short History of Surveillance Tools of Surveillance Surveillance for Commercial and Political Interests Surveillance for ‘common good’ Surveillance and Media References 4 Cyberspace and the Illusions of Ultra-Democracy Born into Neoliberalism The Political Possibilities References Part IICyber-Politics: The New Media and Alternative Modes of Resistance 5 Digital Feminist Interventions: A Critical Assessment of the Pink Chaddi Campaign and #MeToo in India References 6 New Media, Identity and Minorities: The Role of Internet in Mainstreaming of Muslims in India State of Muslims in India New Media as Harbinger of Change? Scope for an Alternative Media TwoCircles.Net as an Alternative News Portal Muslim Youths’ Forum Against Communalism, Terrorism, and Sedition Twitter Trends Conclusion References Part IIICyber-Aesthetics and Narratives of Leisure 7 Cyberspace and the Aesthetics of Contemporary Perception References 8 A Cyberian Turn in Pornography: Understanding Internet as a Sexual Medium References 9 ‘Yeh Bik Gai Hai Gormint’ Understanding Meme Culture in India Introduction References 10 From Underground ‘Sutta’ to Mainstream ‘Kolaveri Di’: Understanding Social Media Through Changing Perceptions of Popular Music in the Indian Subcontinent References Part IVCyber-Narratives: Roleplaying, Interactivity and Authority 11 Virtual Slaves, Real Profits Introduction Defining the Terms Commodity Fetishism Through Production in MMORPGs Commodity Fetishism Through Consumption in MMORPGs Managing the Virtual Economy: Hyper-inflation and Cash Drains Envy, Lack, and Make-Belief From Virtual to Real: ‘Free-to-Play’ and Sweatshops MMORPGs and Gold Farming in India Conclusion References 12 What Is Playing Cyborg: An Investigation of the Gamer as a Figure The Scene An Enquiry Games as Disciplinary Technologies The Relationship Between Biological and Technological Conclusion References 13 Encountering Digital Hypertext Fiction: Postmodern Potentialities of a Cyborg Reader References 14 ‘Moving’ Poetry: Affect and Aesthetic in Instapoetry References