This volume brings together scholars from the fields of sociology, political science, education, information studies, psychology, communication, telecommunications, and journalism to explore
the significance of virtual online worlds, with most of the contributors focusing on Second Life, an open-ended world which allows users (or "residents") to define their own activities and
participate in social networks and an online economy. Chapters discuss the development of Second Life and other virtual worlds, the characteristics of virtual social networks, the construction
of social reality in the game World of Warcraft, in-game urban planning in Second Life, the role of "live" music in Second Life, identity and gender in Second Life, the economics of Arden: The
World of William Shakespeare as reported by the game designers, brands and commodification in Second Life, the implications of virtual worlds for democratic theory, virtual journalism in Second
Life, and the integration of multiple-user virtual environments into education. Annotation 穢2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
