| This thesis looks at the development and design of virtual worlds from a geographic perspective, focusing largely on the virtual world of Second Life to illustrate the points discussed. The relevance of looking at virtual worlds from a geography standpoint -- rather than the perspective of computer science, psychology, or sociology -- will be explained, as will the author's qualification in exploring this line of research. To accomplish its goals this thesis discusses the relationship between the economics, politics, globalization, and the Internet since the early 1990s as a basis of research. It then discusses concepts of identity, social organization, and sexuality within constructed environments and their influence on virtual landscapes, as well as their actual world analogs. |
