This session is for exploring the histories of virtual reality and precursors of the metaverse. The focus is on SecondLife.
Students are asked to read chapter two from Tom Boellstorff's book on SecondLife, with a focus on a history of virtuality (in relation to writing, fiction, dreaming, game worlds):
Boellstorff T (2008) Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. Princeton: Princeton University Press. [Chapter 2: History, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc77h1s.7]
This video provides a good insight into Boellstorff's project (themes are escapism, real estate, coins, collaboration):
After discussing the history of virtuality leading up to SecondLife, it is time to visit SecondLife as it is today. This can take place in class or potentially the class can meet virtually in SecondLife. Either a teacher or students should prepare the visit, e.g. it could be preceded by a preliminary visit where a teacher or student identifies and selects particular places to visit to highlight particular features of SL.
This video may also be useful to understand how SecondLife relates to the metaverse today:
