| This thesis refutes the misappropriation of Helene Cixous's concept of ecriture feminine as a writing that is exclusively for the use of women, or uniquely applicable to feminist-themed or female-authored works. Instead, ecriture feminine is explored as a disruptive practice that can not only be found in various spheres other than writing but specifically within the digital realm. "Writing the body" is explored through a comparative analysis of the disparate approaches to identity production of two mainstream social networking sites: Friendster.com and MySpace.com. Cixous's conceptual libidinal economies are applied to the posture of current copyright regulations in light of the burgeoning ethic of sharing amongst online users, utilizing as analogues the Napster phenomenon and the video-sharing website YouTube.com. A scaffold-like relationship is shown to exist between works of writing, including some hypertext works within the parameters of a feminine economy. The open source software movement is also explored while focusing on the ability of participatory culture to support this phenomenon. It is concluded that electracy, and participatory culture in particular, have the potential to bring to life an insurgent, feminine practice of writing. |
