Experiencing Activism Through Virtual Reality Narratives: The Theme of "Sisterhood" and The Sample of Fight Back VR

The continuous diversification of new narrative tools due to technological advancements highlights the significance of content and form issues in fiction, as these tools gain social functionality. Each new tool possesses distinct features that imbue it with meaning. The strong relationship between technological tools and society brings the social benefits of these tools to the forefront. Among the hotly debated topics is the impact of virtual reality technologies on communication. Virtual reality creates an immersive experience, enveloping individuals within compelling narratives. Consequently, understanding the structure of the existing content becomes crucial, particularly in the transformation of social issues into experiential Virtual Reality (VR) narratives. This study focuses on exploring the connection between virtual reality technologies and society, as well as the potential of VR content to contribute to social benefit. The chosen sample for analysis is “Fight Back VR,” which employs a 360-degree narrative format to address gender-related themes. The determined sample is analyzed through Greimas’ Actantial Model, which is a structural semantics analysis method. The results indicate that VR’s effects, such as immersion, presence, embodiment, and experiential engagement, enhance the narrative content, converting it into semantic benefit. “Fight Back VR” addresses gender issues through the lens of women’s experiences and positions the participant as a heroic figure. The participant’s struggle within the narrative creates a sense of action, which plays an educational role both within the story and the individual lives of the participants. Thus, although virtual reality narratives create a personalized experiential space, they also embody the concept of “experiential activism” through their narrative subject matter and distinctive features. Because it positions the participant as a part of the story, and even as a guide.