ABSTRACT
The concept of authenticity is a much-debated notion in media studies and discourse. For example, performances of rituals or pilgrimages online are often doubted as being a mere simulation or a reproduction of something “real,” rather than being authentic as such (Hill-Smith 2009). Researchers also raise questions in relation to the study of rituals within virtual worlds, such as Second Life or World of Warcraft, regarding whether online rituals are serious and authentic acts, or fakes or flawed simulations (Radde-Antweiler 2010). In Internet research in general there has been much debate about whether social actions within digital realms have the same quality as face-to-face interactions. But why are online rituals not considered as real as offline rituals? Is there
such a clear distinction between the real and the virtual? And is this an accurate or helpful analytical distinction? In order to investigate these questions, this chapter explores scholarly discussion around the concept of authenticity while focusing on the two main research themes. The first deals with the question of whether people’s experiences, as well as their virtual bodies, can be considered authentic or real online. Connected with this, the second theme concerns the definition of the environment itself, considering whether cyberspace is a “real,” authentic place, and the extent to which it can function as a sacred space. It becomes clear that both topics are based on the distinction and definition of the terms “online” and “offline,” or “real” and “virtual.”
