Schuijers, Roman (2023) Governance in virtual space: institutional foundations for virtual environments in the metaverse. Master thesis.
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20230117 Master Thesis Final _ Roman Schuijers.pdf Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The metaverse has solidified its presence in society, and its development continues steadily. The metaverse can be seen as the 3-dimensional iteration of the internet, where humans interact with each other through their avatars. With the internet becoming a space, the research question arose: How can governance & planning theory contribute to the positive development of human interaction within virtual environments in the metaverse? A theoretical framework is presented that first provides a discussion on fundamental technological advancements that make the metaverse technologically feasible, positioning the internet as a space and place. Following this, is a discussion on spatial governance theory. A multiple case study into two proto-metaverses was conducted, using empirical data gathered from articles and documents to perform a thematic analysis per case. These case studies were then compared and synthesised with the theory. Key findings are that advancements in blockchain technology allow for decentralisation of power over virtual spaces in the metaverse. This decentralisation increases user agency over these virtual environments. Next to this, the degree to which a virtual space resembled physical space was found to contribute to a person’s sense of immersion in a virtual environment. This was found to be a factor that increased immersion in human interaction in virtual space. The synthesis with governance theory found that the newfound agency allowed for the creation of new institutions. Concluding, this study poses that blockchain enabled technologies, such as decentralised ownership of digital assets in virtual spaces, allow for the creation and maintenance of institutions of governance of these virtual spaces, and for the societies that live within them. Further research could expand on this, for example by comparing governance institutions and structures in the physical worlds with those found in the metaverse.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Degree programme: | Environmental & Infrastructure Planning |
| Supervisor: | Lamker, C.W. |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Feb 2023 10:02 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Feb 2023 10:02 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4115 |
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