Cyberspace Studies

This study examines the associations of internet information literacy with two variables: (1) the ability to work with technical aspects of the internet (internet skill), and (2) attitudes about the need for qualitative necessities in the development of e-services. A hierarchical regressions software analyzes data from a national sample of 2134 internet users. In this paper, internet literacy is considered as a literacy which has two-dimensional aspects including information literacy and skill literacy. In an articulation as this, many of the capabilities associated with the internet such as technical, critical, analytical, and structural factors are studied. In addition, abilities that lead users to make distinctions between useful, safe and healthy data and fake, hateful and unhealthy data are taken into account. The analysis shows that the internet information literacy is positively related to internet skills. It is also shown that more internet information literacy leads to more demands for e-services’ qualitative necessities (in the eight indicators of cheapness, availability, usability, quickness, security, integrity, reliability, and transparency). Furthermore, some sociodemographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, education, income, and place of residence) are explicitly associated with internet skills. Strategy suggestions are concluded for policy making in the respective fields.

This article aims to redefine the concept of Thirdspace and make a trilateral relationship between the three concepts of real space, virtual space and the user. To do so, not only the concept of Thirdspace has to be redefined, but also a new understanding of virtual space as a relatively independent space is required. This three-sided relation requires a new understanding of the relationship between the body and virtual space. Special attention is paid to the role of the body in the relationship between the user and virtual space through a phenomenological approach. Borderline spaces– VR technology and video games such as Pokémon Go– which are resulted from the interpenetration of real and virtual spaces have been considered as the new edges of interaction between real and virtual spaces and they are on a constant rise. This article’s key question is if using the concept of Thirdspace, one could build a bridge on the theoretical gap between real and virtual spaces and better understand the confrontation of the user with real, virtual and borderline spaces as well as their lived experiences. The authors believe that the answers are positive. This understanding paves the way not only to help the users improve their life skills for today’s real-virtual world but also to manage the stresses caused by living in such surroundings.

This paper aims to show the status of digital art in Iran and explain how the meaning of an artist has transformed in the digital age. The primary assumption of this paper is that the experience of digital art has again revived the collective experience in creating arts. Although, interactivity is considered to be the most important quality of digital art, their collective, collaborative and progressive qualities should as well be emphasized. These qualities have transformed all aspects of art. The present study focuses on the audience’s part in the foundation of producing art in new media art or digital art. Using Howard Becker’s idea of ‘the sociology of art’ we can show the process of change, that the notion of crowd production of art has undergone and almost reached its exact meaning. The current study is applying a qualitative approach using participation and interview techniques. The research was carried out during the Tehran Annual Digital Arts Exhibition (TADAX). The research data were obtained based on interviews with artists and participators in the four TADAX exhibitions from 2013 to 2016.

This paper focuses on the impact of cyberspace on religiosity in Iran through reviewing previous studies. The situation of religion in the age of the internet has always been a major matter of concern for Iranian scholars and policy makers. Accordingly, there have been many researchers who have addressed and approached this problem but there has been no comprehensive understanding of the impact of the internet on religiosity, as no comparative study has been conducted to date. This paper applies meta-analysis as the method for reviewing previous attempts while trying to gather all the data by classifying problems, methods, theoretical approaches and more importantly their results. The outcome of this study is to indicate the impact of cyberspace on religiosity and religious identity, apart from classifying and clarifying the status of religiosity in Iran. Having a stronger religious identity causes less online misbehaviors like searching and engaging in pornography. It also indicates using cyberspace for recreational purposes compared to using it for communication or gathering information etc. makes the users more likely to have a weaker religious identity.

E-Science is a tool that helps scientists to store, interpret, analyze and make a network of their data, and it can play a critical role in different aspects of the scientific goals and research. This commentary, under the topic of Cross Border E-Science and Research Partnership: Bridging the Gap between Science and Media,[1] attempts to shed light on E-Science with emphasis on three important points illustrated by the UNESCO and World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Hence, science and e-science in the WSIS documents are examined, and the UNESCO Action Line C9 on the media is reviewed. In addition, the Harold Lasswell’s model of communication is studied and applied to the case of Iran to show Iran’s stance in this regard.

Twitter and Jihad: The Communication Strategy of ISIS edited by Monica Maggioni & Paolo Magri. Milan, Italy: ISPI, 2015. 168pp., $10 (p/b), ISBN 978-88-98014-66-8

Computer-Assisted and Web-Based Innovations in Psychology, Special Education, and Health edited by James K. Luiselli & Aaron J. Fischer. London & San Diego: Academic Press, 2016. 408pp., $74.95 (hardcover), ISBN 9780128020753