Bonding and Bridging Social Capital in an International Video Game Guild

Anya Hommadova Lu, Stephen Carradini

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter looks at bridging and bonding social capital in the context of mobile online gaming. We explore how in-game international communities like guilds can facilitate accumulation of cross-cultural social capital. Reporting on a four-year ethnography of a mobile massively multiplayer online roleplaying strategy game called Lords Mobile, we describe emotional support provided by members of the community, regardless of cross-cultural differences. We argue that in an international space such as an online guild, bonding capital and bridging capital are often simultaneous. Bonding capital promotes bridging capital and vice versa. Further research should be done in intentionally international online spaces to understand the mutually supportive relationship between bonding capital and bridging capital.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSocial Capital
Subtitle of host publicationIssues, Challenges and Perspectives
PublisherNova Science Publishers, Inc.
Pages73-109
Number of pages37
ISBN (Electronic)9781536196429
ISBN (Print)9781536196221
StatePublished - May 6 2021

Keywords

  • Bonding
  • Bridging
  • Ethnography
  • Guilds
  • Mobile game
  • Multicultural
  • Video games

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
  • General Business, Management and Accounting

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Bonding and Bridging Social Capital in an International Video Game Guild'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this