New Intersections of Internet Research

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* Book: Nexus. New Intersections of Internet Research. Ed. by Daniel Araya. Peter Lang, 2010.

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Description

Daniel Araya:

"This edited collection interrogates the current ways mass collaboration intersects with sociocultural, technosocial, and political changes in the context of new social practices. Intertwined with these new practices are questions about the impact of ICTs on established institutions and modes of production. New tools inevitably engender changes in the way people interact, communicate, and collaborate (Wenger, 1998). However, it is increasingly clear that ICTs are now leveraging a unique democratic shift in a wide array of technological, political, and social spaces.

Much like the invention of the printing press, the Internet is radically transforming the most basic elements of modern civilization. The success of mass collaboration in a multitude of contexts poses a challenge, not only to the dominant economic paradigm, but also to a broad range of received social science thinking. There is mounting evidence that new forms of social networking bind people together in highly creative social and economic relationships. People are no longer passive participants in their own economic and cultural production, but are becoming active agents in the production of lived social and political environments.


Contents

Daniel Araya:

Section One explores the Sociocultural Intersections of Internet research. New tools engender changes in the way people and communities interact, communicate, and construct their identities. In this section, we explore the ways in which ICTs enable transformations in existing sociocultural practices.


In Chapter 1, Geneve and Ganito provide insight into two empirical studies exploring women and technology. They explore women’s participation through a lens of agency, where they argue that identities are influenced by both enablers and constraints to conform (to) or transform such influences. They provide an account of women’s experiences with technology within a specific social context, through the conceptual categories of the Five Acts of Agency and emerging theory of Digital Agency.


In Chapter 2, Garduño and Cook argue that social networks such Flickr function as public repositories of personal photography that challenge and democratize the authority of traditional institutions of memory, like libraries and museums. Vernacular photography on these systems increases the visibility of individual’s self-representation. In contrast to institutional collections, members on Flickr selfselect the subject matter in their photographic contributions, the methods of representation, and the modes of participation.


In Chapter 3, Petzold and Liao look at linguistic aspects of the Internet and consider methods to measure this kind of activity on a large scale by using tools that can help generate this information. Preliminary analysis shows, for example, a relatively low overlap between Asian and European language versions of Wikipedia. Thus, they suggest, the concept and measurement of linguistic connectedness between Wikipedia nodes (different language versions) requires further explanations for the field of Internet studies.


In Chapter 4, Morieson and Usher consider the possible range of outcomes that can occur when the institution of news and the communicative possibilities of the Internet intersect. They explore the important nexus of cultural production and new communication technology, by mapping the current state of the media in the United States and Australia. Their aim is to provide a broad overview of the issues facing news as an institution, with particular reference to the threats and opportunities afforded by the development of the Internet.


Section Two examines Technosocial Intersections. ICTs have become integral parts of a wide array of sectors. Networked technologies are being used for educational purposes or in order to improve health care delivery. They challenge the traditional media system, and certain phenomena such as personal blogging give birth to new commercial practices. This chapter discusses the wider repercussions ICT use has had on these domains.


In Chapter 5, Monroy-Hernández, Dezuanni, and Kuikkaniemi explore learning technologies, focusing on the ways young people participate in online and face-to-face spaces and how this can inform the design of social and creative learning technologies. In this context they discuss three specific social environments where young people create interactive media and gain new media literacy skills.


In Chapter 6, Camerini and Nam explore the topic of Internet technology in the health communication domain, generally referred to as eHealth. They lay out the implications, positive and negative, of a proliferating adoption of innovative technologies in bridging the divide between current performance and legitimate expectations in health care delivery.


In Chapter 7, Hopkins and Thomas locate and analyze a particular nexus in Malaysian blogging practices: the monetization of blogs, in particular the emergence of the “Lifestyle” blog. Drawing upon long-term ethnographic research, they consider the dynamics of this process by alternately using actor-network theory (ANT) and Bourdieuian field theory to trace relevant material-semiotic traffic between actors. They conclude by highlighting how social-symbolic capital exchange underwrites “authenticity” in Malaysian blogging, coming to focus also on how server logs quantify this capital circulation.


In Chapter 8, Kee, Cradduck, Blodgett, and Olwan provide a theoretically generative definition of cyberinfrastructure (CI) by drawing from existing definitions and literature in social sciences, law, and policy studies. They propose two models of domestic and international influencers on CI emergence, development, and implementation in the early 21st century. Based on its historical emergence and computational power, they argue that cyberinfrastructure is built on, and yet distinct from, the current notion of the Internet. The authors seek to answer two research questions: firstly, what is cyberinfrastructure? And secondly, what national and international influencers shape its emergence, development, and implementation (in e-science) in the early 21st century? Additionally, consideration will be given to the implications of the proposed definition and models, and future directions on CI research in Internet studies will be suggested.


Section Three examines political intersections. ICTs engender changes in the way polities construct themselves. In this section, we explore research that examines the ways in which ICTs enable transformations in existing political and policy practices.


In Chapter 9, Breindl and Gustafsson explore the influence of the Internet on traditional decision-making. While these forms of networked political organisations are usually perceived as less hierarchical than traditional mobilising groups, they point out the fact that successful forms of networked digital activism can be heavily dependent on technical and networking skills. Rather than functioning as the base of more egalitarian politics, the growing importance of networked political activism aided by digital media may on the contrary create new elites.


In Chapter 10, Houghton and Chang examine alternate perspectives on hacking, hacktivism, and cybercrime. Houghton assesses the case of hacktivism concerning territorial disputes centering on the People’s Republic of China, and contends that hacktivism is a democratic activity in that it constitutes the emergence of multiple “neo-Habermasian” counterpublic spheres. In contrast, Chang explores hacking through a cybercrime lens, assessing difficulties with legislation and institutional self-protection against cybercrime, and making suggestions for overcoming these challenges.


In Chapter 11, Araya, Shang, and Liu consider U.S. and Chinese policy in the context of green innovation and a green economy. Many countries today are aggressively pursuing green innovation strategies because of the potential social and economic benefits associated with harnessing green technologies. Looking critically at economic policies in the U.S. and China, the authors consider current strategies for advancing green innovation. Much as ICTs have underwritten globalization and reshaped industrial societies, they argue that ICTs are foundational to a green economy."


Excerpts

Chapter Five: Designing for Peer Learning and Mentoring in New Media Environments

  • Media Literacy in the Facebook Age. Designing Online and Face to Face Learning Environments. By ANDRÉS MONROY-HERNÁNDEZ, MICHAEL DEZUANNI, & KAI KUIKKANIEMI. Chapgter Five of New Intersections in Internet Research.

= We discuss three different social environments where young people engage in developing new media literacy skills through the lens of four phenomena: peer learning, mentoring, unexpected uses of digital tools, and the development of reputation.


Chapter Eight: Cyberinfrastructure

  1. Cyberinfrastructure Inside Out. Definition and Influences Shaping Its Emergence, Development, and Implementation in the Early 21st Century. By KERK KEE, LUCY CRADDUCK, BRIDGET BLODGETT & RAMI OLWAN. Chapter Eight of the book: Nexus. New Intersections of Internet Research‎. 2010.


Chapter Nine: Networked Political Activism or the Continuation of Elitism in Competitive Democracy

  • Paper: Leetocracy. Networked Political Activism or the Continuation of Elitism in Competitive Democracy. YANA BREINDL & NILS GUSTAFSSON. Chapter Nine of: New Intersections of Internet Research