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Online Inquiry of Public Selves: Methodological Considerations

Kristin E. Joos

University of Florida

This article methodologically considers how to conduct online inquiry about the production of deprivatized selves. It begins by discussing how online selves can be understood as public selves produced under the auspices of particular local cultures on the Internet. Embedded within this argument is the authors’ assertion that methods for inquiring about the production of public selves offline (fieldwork and active interviewing) are amenable to online environments. The focus of the article is a discussion of how the authors tried to adopt such strategies of inquiry to an online arena. A methodological conundrum shared by the two studies discussed—the struggle between doing active inquiry about the dynamics of self-construction and maintaining the "safe space" expected in particular types of online arenas of self-construction—is highlighted. The article concludes by suggesting that future inquiry of online public selves will likely face similar challenges.

Key Words: online research • public selves • active interviews • social construction • lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ)

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