The Lord of the Rings Online

Online Diasporas: Theoretical Considerations on the Study of Diasporic Behavior in MMORPGs

Salazar's study examines whether the concept of diaspora, long applied to forced dispersions of physical peoples, can meaningfully describe groups of players who become displaced within massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs).

• Salazar argues that the concept of diaspora, classically defined by forced dispersion, nostalgia for a lost homeland, and tension with host communities, can be extended to online groups in MMORPGs, but only once they develop a diasporic consciousness.
• The paper proposes reconciling classical and postmodern diaspora models by treating online diasporas as one possible outcome of MMORPG social configurations, in which groups may show either or both patterns.
• The first case, the Gathering of Uru, displayed classical traits after a server shutdown displaced its members, including idealized attachment to their virtual homeland and friction with new environments.