My central question for my thesis still eludes me, but I have at least assembled an outline of the technical part of the literature review:

• An Introduction to the Domain Naming System
  • Reference to initial RFCs
  • Classic gTLDs
  • 2003 Additional TLDs
• The new gTLD Process
• Price Differences Between new gTLDs and classic gTLDs
• Price Differences Within the new gTLD Space
• Distribution of gTLD Ownership
• Dot Brand
  • Intellectual Property Defense vs. Corporate Use
  • No Dotless Domains
• Community Representation for Specialized gTLDs
• Stakeholders: Registrants and Consumers
• New gTLDs with Similar or Related Strings
• Change in Types of Internet Use Since 1985

There is still a lot to do, including pulling in sociology of culture materials and gradually fleshing out the sociology of the Internet stuff, but this at least puts me on track to begin writing about the topic and thinking about it sociologically.