Stine Gotved: Spatial dimensions in social cyberspace
The temporal and spatial dimensions of online communication establish the basic conditions for social life within cyberspace communities. Looking at the protocol-based constructions – whether they are communicating in real time or in asynchronous mode and whether they hold a shared location – it is clear that spatial construction matters for the sense of community. Parallel to offline life, the spatial dimensions in online communities are important for how the individual navigates, relates, and communicates. This article presents a typology of online space, in which three different kinds of spatial dimensions are defined. These three spatial dimensions can be found in most (if not all) online communities in varying degrees, and analysis of the patterns of spatial dimension within an online community provides useful information about the basic terms of social life within that community. The typology is discussed in light of Henri Lefebvre's work on spatiality and social space, in order to uncover the implicit inspirations as well as the limitations of his approach by the inclusion of offline spatial sociology. The typology presented here serves as an analytical tool to separate the different spatial dimensions of cyberspace, and hopefully holds the key to understanding many of the differences within online social life.
