Cyberspace and Metaverse Culture
S.R. Ameli; M. Akhavan
Abstract
Metaverse, a hypothetical iteration of the Internet, is the result of the convergence of industry and imagination, which allows users to have a three-dimensional and immersive presence there with their avatars, and a kind of dual specialization of life experience in the real world and digital environments. ...
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Metaverse, a hypothetical iteration of the Internet, is the result of the convergence of industry and imagination, which allows users to have a three-dimensional and immersive presence there with their avatars, and a kind of dual specialization of life experience in the real world and digital environments. Games are the pioneers of the metaverse and by combining simulation and intimate technologies, they form virtual worlds. Zepeto is the largest metaverse platform in South Korea with users from all over the world. With the increasing popularity of Korean wave products such as K-pop among Iranian teenagers, Zepeto has become a popular game among them. Based on this, two issues have been addressed in this exploratory article. First, in the framework of the technology acceptance model, the focus is on the user experience in Zepeto and the study of the determining factors that affect the willingness of Iranian users to play in Zepeto. Second, based on Zepeto's content format, the challenges of this platform for its Iranian users have been examined. The target population in this research is Iranian users of Zepeto, and with the Simple Random Sampling method, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 40 Zepeto users. The findings show that Zepeto is a promoter of western lifestyle in the field of entertainment and based on its capacity to shape the taste and attitude and behavior of Iranian users, it provides a window for cultivating a non-Islamic lifestyle.
Higher Education
S.R. Ameli; R. Sayadi
Abstract
Given that the University of Tehran is one of the key institutions of knowledge production, two main questions arise in this regard: What is the student lifeworld at the University of Tehran? What is the connection between this lifeworld and the university? In the course of this research to reach the ...
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Given that the University of Tehran is one of the key institutions of knowledge production, two main questions arise in this regard: What is the student lifeworld at the University of Tehran? What is the connection between this lifeworld and the university? In the course of this research to reach the actual answer to the problems, theoretical views of lifeworld and communication action were taken into account. Field information was obtained using ethnographic methodology as well through two tools, namely participatory observation and semi-structured interview. The sample of the study was 30 students who were interviews. They were from different colleges such as medical sciences; electrical, electronic, and mechanical and civil engineering departments and technical campus, theater and music from the faculty of fine arts, faculty of social sciences. The student's world was defined by eight categories: student, professor, classmate, academic terms and field of study, cyberspace, media, university, and dormitory. Results was obtained from qualitative interviews, with emphasis being on the existence of a semantic disorder for the "sense of being a student", the spirit of scientific cooperation and the horizon of looking to the future in the light of active and effective role of students and universities for the development of the country.
Social Sciences and Communications
S.R. Ameli; S.F. Siasirad
Abstract
The use of virtual networks, the globalization of mediated cultures, and the emergence of the cultural public sphere all have led to attention being focused on cultural citizenship theories in describing citizenship participation of cyberspace users. In this paper, using the method of ethnographic ...
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The use of virtual networks, the globalization of mediated cultures, and the emergence of the cultural public sphere all have led to attention being focused on cultural citizenship theories in describing citizenship participation of cyberspace users. In this paper, using the method of ethnographic content analysis, an attempt was made to evaluate the nature of citizenship practices of young Instagram users and the extent to which these engagement are consistent with their national citizenship. According to the findings, 69% of the content shared on the mainstream public pages, humor and entertainment pages encompassed "individualistic" themes, often in line with the users' individual interests and concerns and their tendency for happiness and fun. Moreover, these themes have complied with the cultures existing in the global public sphere rather than conforming to national citizenship. Yet, the more frequency of individualistic themes as compared to collectivist themes did not mean their complete disregard for national-scale actions, with 21% of the themes on these pages being formal and community-centered citizenship. Users have returned to their national-level belongings, responsibilities and issues through them. In the Concluding Section, the necessity of redefining the concept of citizenship based on the requirements of the cyberspace, the impossibility of adopting absolute positive or negative approaches to the consequences of virtual citizenship on national citizenship, the necessity of simultaneous attention to opportunities and threats this space poses, and the need to expand education pertinent to "cultural citizenship" were all emphasized.
Intercultural Communications
Saied Reza Ameli; M. Hajjari
Abstract
The schemata existing among social groups have a direct impact on the formation of interactions in different societies. People often perceive others as members of a social group and form their own relationships and interactions based on ideas that they have from one another. The study and identification ...
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The schemata existing among social groups have a direct impact on the formation of interactions in different societies. People often perceive others as members of a social group and form their own relationships and interactions based on ideas that they have from one another. The study and identification of ideas can be effective in establishing or not establishing communication. This article studies the schemata between members of the Islamic Association and Basij members. Because of this, we tried to use Nishida’s theory of schemata. Based on this theory, schemata is a set of past experiences that are categorized in relevant knowledge groups and used to guide our behavior in familiar situations. According to the definitions of Nishida (1999) and Turner (1987), personal and self-schemata are two of the types of schemata's. The method approach in this study is a qualitative approach. At the end, a Semi-structured interview was conducted between 46 active members of these Groups. Data analysis has been carried out in the form of thematic analysis. Personal schemata of the members of the Islamic Association are identified and categorized against the self-schemata of the members of the Basij in the form of themes and sub-themes. In the following, opposite and similar schemata between the two Student groups have been identified.
Saeid Reza Ameli; Gholamreza Solgi; Maryam Razani; Mansore Hejazi; Zahra Karami; Rozhan Eskandar; Faeze Mostofi
Abstract
Typically, people deal with their environment and talk about their identity, and shape their identity with the results of such negotiations. In situations where the person experiences changes like migration or converting to a new religion in his life, the negotiations will be intensified in order to ...
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Typically, people deal with their environment and talk about their identity, and shape their identity with the results of such negotiations. In situations where the person experiences changes like migration or converting to a new religion in his life, the negotiations will be intensified in order to adapt to the new findings, and leads him/her to choose strategies to adapt to these changes and to reach a new identity. Now the question is: what strategies does the Newly Muslim choose in Iran about the factors of identity, such as name, dress, entertainment, relationships (with friends and relatives), Sharia (Islamic Laws) and prayers and financial issues in order to achieve a new identity? What aspects of the Identity of the New Muslim Converts are distinct from their identity before Islam? What aspects of their former identity have continued and what are their specific features? The study has been conducted in two stages by interviewing many converts, and with the categorization of the interviews, nine strategies have been extracted about the negotiation of New Muslim Converts’ identity with the Iranian society.
Saeid reza Ameli; Hossein Hassani
Abstract
The main aim of this paper is to suggest a typology of virtual deviances and also a comparative analysis of international policies concerning cyber abnormalities; and finally suggesting an applicable model for future planning. In fact with the promotion of lTC. a new kind of space for ...
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The main aim of this paper is to suggest a typology of virtual deviances and also a comparative analysis of international policies concerning cyber abnormalities; and finally suggesting an applicable model for future planning. In fact with the promotion of lTC. a new kind of space for human life is created which is termed second space or second world. These technologies provided a mediated simultaneity.This space generates many deviances and abnormalities. in addition to many other advantages. Therefore, pathologically analyzing these abnormalities would be useful considering the distinctive logic and ontology of cyber space. This paper conceptualizes prominent cyber deviances. under dual spacialization paradigm.and categorizes the main policies adopted in some pioneer countries in this issue.The findings show that social and cultural policies and programs of these countries can be divided into two major kinds of affirmative and negative forms. Negative policies include elimination, control and surveillance; and affirmative policies comist of production and management of contents of cyberspace. digitalization of analogue data and providing access to infollnation and content through the internet.
Saied Reza Ameli
Abstract
The globalization or the new ideological globalizings resulted from Global Communication Industry; both have accelerated the trans-nationalization of cultures and civilizations. In another word, globalization simultaneously has created two voluntary and involuntary global dialogues in the world. Before ...
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The globalization or the new ideological globalizings resulted from Global Communication Industry; both have accelerated the trans-nationalization of cultures and civilizations. In another word, globalization simultaneously has created two voluntary and involuntary global dialogues in the world. Before the emergence of global communication industry or as the Frankfort School has called “global communication industry”, members of the world civilizations had no access to the simultaneous and shared cultural spheres. Although the civilizational spheres were far apart but at the same time they could impact each other in a very long historical process. Entering to the communications era or the single space of communications, an new and inevitable season of civilization`s confrontations emerged which need serious overview in dialogue among civilization. Necessarily the analyses derived from modernity are not sufficiently applicable to these days’ dialogues. With the rise of transportations industry and emergence of virtual space, the world in both virtual and real sphere is minimizing and in this minimized virtual and real world the inter- civilizational and inter- cultural dialogue both need new definitions. This article aims to offer the generalized definition of “Dialogue”, which is based on hermeneutics and later the relation of “Text” in inter-civilizational dialogue and the economic, political and cultural context will be discussed afterwards. We will reach to influence of globalization on dialogue process by analysis of Text and Context`s relations. Having this perspective, four grand historical approaches could be existed; These four approaches based on mathematical look to the beginning and continuation of civilizations, are: Euro-centrism, Americo- centrism, Poly- centrism to civilization. As a conclusion, a new approach derived from global sphere`s to civilization, universalism to civilizations will be discussed.
Saeid Reza Ameli; Hamideh Mowlaei
Abstract
This article aimed to investigate the intercultural sensitivities between Sunnite Turkmen groups and Shiite groups in Golestan province of Iran through considering the most important factors influenced it. The intercultural development inventory (IDI), which designed according to Milton Bennet's the ...
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This article aimed to investigate the intercultural sensitivities between Sunnite Turkmen groups and Shiite groups in Golestan province of Iran through considering the most important factors influenced it. The intercultural development inventory (IDI), which designed according to Milton Bennet's the intercultural sensitivities theory, was utilised to examine the intercultural sensitivities between those Muslim groups. The intercultural sensitivities theory essentially states that the more communication among people leads them to have the less intercultural sensitivities. In other words, the development of communications among people causes to diminish their intercultural sensitivities. In this study, both virtual and actual measurement domains were used in order to measure the communications development of two groups. The development of virtual communications was measured according people's interactivity with different types of media, especially Satellite and Internet, whereas the actual one was measured based on three cities varying according to different religious distribution. Finally this article concluded that the development of virtual and actual communications led to decreasing intercultural sensitivities among people in this area.
Saeid Reza Ameli; Najmeh Mohammadkhani
Abstract
According to the ethno-cultural diversity, many educational and media basis in Iranian society are needed, in order to make good and healthy communication, in addition to the calm and peaceful interpersonal interaction. Cultural intolerance among diverse ethnics might cause to conflict, opposition, and ...
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According to the ethno-cultural diversity, many educational and media basis in Iranian society are needed, in order to make good and healthy communication, in addition to the calm and peaceful interpersonal interaction. Cultural intolerance among diverse ethnics might cause to conflict, opposition, and discrimination and thus some negative affects on the majority beside the ethnic and religious minorities. Therefore, education, especially primary education in the age in which ethical and cultural schemas and assertions are shaped, is really important. This kind of intercultural instruction makes individuals aware of cultural differences and internalizes culture of tolerance. The educational system, which is based on justice and mutual respect, causes also to cultural dynamism and flexibility. Indeed, in this study, we attempt to reflect on the Constitution, as the basis of respect to minority (religious and ethnic); besides two cultural institutions, education and media, as the director in intercultural communication. Considered factors are the good citizenship, effective law system, and recognizing citizen rights.
