Shawna Kelly
shawnake [at] usc [dot] edu
Shawna’s research interests are in new technologies, communication, and culture, with a focus on digital games. Some of her previous projects include: entry into virtual worlds and games, the meaning of citizenship in these spaces, gender and ethnicity representation in massively multiplayer online games, and the social impacts of relationships developed through games. Shawna is currently finishing her dissertation on how “casual” gamers negotiate big issues like addiction, identity, and interpersonal relationships. Before her doctoral studies, Shawna worked with small businesses, implementing information-sharing technologies and doing both software development and technical support.