Racial Identity and the Influence of the Electronic Medium in Erik Loyer’s Chroma (2001)
Racial Identity and the Influence of the Electronic Medium in Erik Loyer’s Chroma (2001)
Author(s): Sofia PolitidouSubject(s): Studies of Literature
Published by: Universitatea Hyperion
Keywords: Erik Loyer;Chroma;African-American;self-identification;mnemonos
Summary/Abstract: This article explores racial identity and experience within the electronic environment. Through a close examination of Erik Loyer’s electronic text Chroma (2001), chapters 5 and 6, I focus on the self-identification and (self-) representation of African-American people, in particular, within the electronic environment. This essay employs the paradigm of a virtual society called “mnemonos” in order to create a parallel to the real world and comment against the restriction of self-identification of African-American people in the U.S. The present essay will also demonstrate that the electronic medium offers greater freedom for self-identification and self-representation to African-American people. However, it also argues that on occasions the aforementioned freedom can be illusionary
Journal: HyperCultura
- Issue Year: 3/2014
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 1-16
- Page Count: 16
- Language: English