Author Archives: Kelly Boudreau

As so many people go on and on about how the internet breaks down geographical boundaries, it seems that companies are looking at building walls. Beyond the ‘need’ for legislature governing gambling laws (I still cannot win an online contest in the US because I live in Quebec!), I wonder why companies such as MSNContinue reading “Localizing the Internet”

As I have been pondering my to-do list, a new opportunity has come my way. I have been invited to write a short chapter on the history of online games for an upcoming anthology titled “Video Game History: From Bouncing Blocks to a Global Industry” edited by Mark J.P. Wolf. I am happy to shareContinue reading “New Project”

I never thought I would make a facebook profile. I am not quite sure what compelled me today – surely some email or other.. but I did. I was surprised how fast it all came together – I have a bunch of friends already, a relatively full profile and carry on a few conversations viaContinue reading “Feeling Facebook”

Sunday night, as good of a time as any to take stock of what is on my plate for the next few weeks, and the year’s bigger plan. Now that I have happily procrastinated over the last 3 weeks (a few god books scratched off of my ‘to read’ list), I have to look atContinue reading “To-Do List 2.0”

In response to another post, I ask – Is the debate really about the origin story and a human desire to ‘control’ all that is outside of them? I have been thinking about this, and I’ve come to think that the majority of research is human-centric, not because of our desire to control, but ourContinue reading “Origins, Control & Understanding”

Always something I have been uncomfortable stating – that I am a sociologist. But now that I am stepping towards convocation again, after 5 years of reading, writing and studying in one field I think I can say it proudly. I have been working with digital culture and technology as a research focus, and haveContinue reading “I am a Sociologist; I study people.”

The difference between face to face and digital identity construction has been my research focus for the past several years. As I finished reading Malaise of Modernity, I got to thinking about how identity constructed traditionally, in what Taylor calls a ‘dialogical’ process. Although not new to the idea of identity construction, he situates theContinue reading “Blogging & Identity Construction”

Well, it’s been a week since I submitted my thesis, and I suppose it’s time to move on. It took me a few days after submitting to calm down, get rid of the jitters that plagued me every day wondering how my committee was taking to it. A few good days of junk television andContinue reading “Moving On”

A colleague and good friend of mine, Shanly Dixon; along with Dr. Sandra Weber have an edited volume due out soon called Growing Up Online: Young People and Digital Technologies available for pre-order over at Amazon.com. From the original flyer: In this cutting-edge anthology, contributors examine the diverse ways in which girls and young womenContinue reading “Another Good Book”

Looking forward to seeing it in print! From the official website: “Online role-playing games are one of the most important yet least intellectually understood areas of digital culture. The EverQuest Reader is a collection of new essays that breaks fresh ground in the fast-growing field of games studies by theorising the major themes, ideas andContinue reading “The Everquest Reader”