Hi,
I think that abstract posting is a very good idea. So here is my contribution - a brief abstract of an article on the webchat interactions to be published in Sociologie du travail N°2, 2002(http://www.elsevier.fr/html/detrevue.cfm?code=STR). The article is in French and is based on the works of Simmel, Schutz, Goffman and Garfinkel.
Any comments, questions and references to related work are wellcome.

Julia Velkovska

Abstract
Using ethnomethodology and phenomenological sociology, this paper analyses identities and relations arising through real time written interactions in webchats. How do users constitute identities based only on electronic writing? How can relations form, develop and last in this context? What is specific about such electronic relations? Two kinds of data are analysed: interviews with active webchat users and discussions recorded in the chats. First of all, the paper establishes the link between the space-time framework of the communication device and the form of interactions taking place. Then, the typifications used by participants to construct their identities and relations are examined. In conclusion, the relations in the chats are characterized by a tension between intimacy and anonymity.

Keywords: Internet, Webchats, Computer-Mediated Interactions, Social Relations, Identities, Intimacy, Anonymity, Ethnomethodology, Phenomenological Sociology.

Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales - Paris
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