Abstract

Virtual Poiesis: ‘In-world’ Creativity and Collaboration 

Chris Wigginton

This paper will consider the potential of Second Life as a location for the development of collaborative inter - and multi - disciplinary work across writing, performance and media. It will argue that whilst much of the work produced in virtual worlds or online communities might be thought of, to use Raymond Williams term, as ‘residual’ in content, these worlds open up possibilities for new forms to emerge through collaboration. Rather than mimicking or recreating historic and textual mediations of ‘real life’ (as is currently the predominant mode ‘in world’), these forms, the paper will argue, will respond to and emerge from the unique the conditions within and of these environments.

Accordingly, rather than rehearsing traditional models for the development of collaborative work, the potential of these spaces as locations for new pedagogic developments will be considered within the paper. To do so, it will look at examples of work produced (as well as the process of production) by students, artists and writers in the UK as part of a development initiative funded in part by Eduserve, Theatron, the Higher Education Academy and the English Subject Centre. These will be considered through the lens of the making of texts, selves and worlds into and through virtual poiesis, autopoiesis and allopoiesis.