Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating
Based on qualitative empirical data from two studies on Internet dating in Slovenia, this paper discusses the social contexts of the Internet dating of heterosexual men and women and homosexual men. Special attention is given to different aspects of the commodification and rationalisation of dating...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana
2015-04-01
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Series: | Družboslovne Razprave |
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Online Access: | http://druzboslovne-razprave.org/clanek/pdf/2015/78/1/ |
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author | Tjaša Žakelj Doris Kocon Alenka Švab Roman Kuhar |
author_facet | Tjaša Žakelj Doris Kocon Alenka Švab Roman Kuhar |
author_sort | Tjaša Žakelj |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Based on qualitative empirical data from two studies on Internet dating in Slovenia, this paper discusses the social contexts of the Internet dating of heterosexual men and women and homosexual men. Special attention is given to different aspects of the commodification and rationalisation of dating in the process of forming potential (romantic) partnerships. First, we discuss our respondents’ reasons for using the Internet to get in touch with potential (romantic) partners. Second, we focus on the demands and strategies of targeted market- ing in personal profile writing and, finally, on the process of selecting potential partners. Our study shows that the primary understanding of Internet dating among people who engage in it is its economic nature. Together with targeted marketing and the predeter- mined criteria for choosing interesting others, Internet dating can thus be understood as a market that encourages rationalisation and commodification in the process of forming intimate relationships. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-20T00:15:26Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-60f7e2dd67a242019fa6bf6b96492266 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 0352-3608 0352-3608 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-20T00:15:26Z |
publishDate | 2015-04-01 |
publisher | University of Ljubljana |
record_format | Article |
series | Družboslovne Razprave |
spelling | doaj.art-60f7e2dd67a242019fa6bf6b964922662022-12-21T20:00:23ZengUniversity of LjubljanaDružboslovne Razprave0352-36080352-36082015-04-013178724Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online datingTjaša Žakelj0Doris Kocon1Alenka Švab2Roman Kuhar3University of PrimorskaUniversity of LjubljanaUniversity of LjubljanaUniversity of LjubljanaBased on qualitative empirical data from two studies on Internet dating in Slovenia, this paper discusses the social contexts of the Internet dating of heterosexual men and women and homosexual men. Special attention is given to different aspects of the commodification and rationalisation of dating in the process of forming potential (romantic) partnerships. First, we discuss our respondents’ reasons for using the Internet to get in touch with potential (romantic) partners. Second, we focus on the demands and strategies of targeted market- ing in personal profile writing and, finally, on the process of selecting potential partners. Our study shows that the primary understanding of Internet dating among people who engage in it is its economic nature. Together with targeted marketing and the predeter- mined criteria for choosing interesting others, Internet dating can thus be understood as a market that encourages rationalisation and commodification in the process of forming intimate relationships.http://druzboslovne-razprave.org/clanek/pdf/2015/78/1/Internet datingrationalisationcommodificationpartnershipheterosexual- ityheterosexuality homosexualityheterosexualityhomosexuality |
spellingShingle | Tjaša Žakelj Doris Kocon Alenka Švab Roman Kuhar Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating Družboslovne Razprave Internet dating rationalisation commodification partnership heterosexual- ity heterosexuality homosexuality heterosexuality homosexuality |
title | Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
title_full | Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
title_fullStr | Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
title_full_unstemmed | Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
title_short | Internet dating as a project: the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
title_sort | internet dating as a project the commodification and rationalisation of online dating |
topic | Internet dating rationalisation commodification partnership heterosexual- ity heterosexuality homosexuality heterosexuality homosexuality |
url | http://druzboslovne-razprave.org/clanek/pdf/2015/78/1/ |
work_keys_str_mv | AT tjasazakelj internetdatingasaprojectthecommodificationandrationalisationofonlinedating AT doriskocon internetdatingasaprojectthecommodificationandrationalisationofonlinedating AT alenkasvab internetdatingasaprojectthecommodificationandrationalisationofonlinedating AT romankuhar internetdatingasaprojectthecommodificationandrationalisationofonlinedating |