Race and Racialization in Cyberspace

Race and Racialization in Cyberspace- All the readings dealt with this issue. The main theme throughout the readings was basically why race went unmentioned or ignored cyberspace when it is a part of the social context of reality. Their arguments hinged on the observation that when race goes unmentioned, the default race of white becomes the context for interaction therefore destroying race by assimilating it into whiteness. Kolko mentions this on p. 216 of her article as she says that when race becomes ignored, the default is white and racialization of whiteness happens as race overall is ignored. nakamura dealt with the fact of using images to set races apart from the Western cyberspace "tourist" and making it see mas if all are integrated, when instead they are simply being put on display for all to see. this destroys race because networking comapnies are destroying the meaning of race by making it seem you can only become a part of the virtual community if you become the default white. They do this, she mentions on pp.93-97 of her article, by putting cliche phrases along with the pictures as if to say the original race of the person is gone and now they have become Western. McPherson mentions on p. 125 of her article that neo-confederate sites mention that they want to protect their southern heritage by only protecting white heritage by glorifying the Civil War and the Confederacy. She says they feel protecting that heritage is protecting everyone's heritage. However, she makes a point in saying that it serves the interests of whiteness only because the Confederacy privileged only whites. By avoiding race directly, they have made it seem that race is not an issue. However, it is an issue because in the context of the sites, race is important becuase non-whites would not be interested in protecting the Confederacy. Race and Racialization in Cyberspace have meaning as race is often ignored, and the default raec of white becomes the context for interaction and viewing.