INSTITUTE OF NETWORK CULTURE

Vision Statement

The Institute for Network Culture at USC examines the rapidly changing and evolving space of network culture through the study of virtual worlds, online games, and social networking. We believe that we are seeking a fundamental shift in the ways that knowledge is being created, disseminated, and shared, resulting in the emergence of new large scale knowledge economies that fundamentally transform the way we need to think about learning, interacting, and living in virtual spaces.

The worlds we study and the social life of these virtual spaces give us a glimpse into what the future might hold as new media continues to evolve and as computing power transforms virtual words from platforms into media. Our task is to begin the process of creating new theories and methods, as well as constructing new analytic categories that can help us make sense of these spaces as they emerge as an increasing part of everyday life and experience.

The USC Annenberg Institute on Digital Culture is an active participant in and observer of the worldwide digital community and the rapidly evolving universes of virtual worlds and multiplayer online games. We are committed to provide an unbiased exploration of and insight into the global potential and possibilities of virtual worlds, virtual spaces and digital culture on the many societies of our planet. Our goal is to combine practical hands-on work with the highest level of scholarship to create a well-rounded, insightful perspective on this space. We aspire to be innovative, international and, most of all, to have impact.

Participation is the key to understanding. We believe that it is fundamentally important that one be an active participant in all aspects of virtual worlds in order to better understand them. The staff and leadership of the Institute are gamers, virtual world residents, online community participants.

Understanding and perspective are our core values. We believe it is imperative to not have a regional or geographic preference: The virtual world transcends geopolitical and geosocial boundaries. And so shall we.

Intellectual honesty is one of our key tenets. We strive to be sincere, coherent, consistent and skeptical – and, when called for, to have a sense of humor and a hint of mischief. And a sense of humility, too, in recognizing when we are wrong and when our positions shift in light of new developments or information.

Most of all, we hope you will join us in this journey

Douglas Thomas
Associate Professor
USC Annenberg School for Communication

Shawna Kelly
Research Associate
USC Center on Public Diplomacy

Student Support
USC Center on Public Diplomacy