ir-conference in September
I'm attending the Internet Research 7.0 conference in Brisbane in September. Exciting! I'm considering whether I should stay in Australia for an extra month or two, but I'm so fond of home...
Short abstract of the paper I'm presenting:
Converging forms of communication
The implementation of digital network technologies has destabilized the traditional differentiation between mass communication and interpersonal communication, as individuals have become potential mass communicators. This article critically addresses the question of whether previously different forms of communication are converging. Examples of conversations from personal weblogs, Flickr, Underskog, Metafilter and audience-discussions related to online mass media articles are analysed to pinpoint central differences such as symmetrical/asymmetrical relations between participants, and the character of conversations and networks. While initially useful, the concept and meaning of convergence easily disguises significant differences.
You'll get a better sense of the paper by reading the long abstract.
12 Comments:
I take a look at the long abstract and I found it very interesting. I suppose you're presenting it in Jean's panel, isn't it? What's really interesting is that it's some time I'm working with this topic. As you probably remember I'm in some kind of love with Luhmann's theory and it's very interesting to try to use it to observe the blurring boundaries of personal and mass communication. Especially mass Communication is, in Social System Theory, a functional System of society that acts in a specific way towards the Social System. Is it possible for a wide we-media phenomena to act towards the social System in the same way of the Mass Media System? Should it be considered part of the mass media system or is it something different. When you try to avoid looking at the specific motivation of the single user you still have a huge phenomena full of implication for the Society that needs to be explained.
Sometimes I feel that users, when they become media, act using the same techniques of mass media. How users select what to say and what not? how they decide how to say it? are they "looking for audience"?
I would argue that we can act like this because we grew up in mass media, we interiorized (?) their strategies to build up and structure the news.
what do you think?
I'm not joining you in Brisbane (what a pity)... and I won't be able to share opinions with all the participants.
COOL!!
David's presenting on a panel as well, not sure which one (see Jean's blog) and we're currently trying to work out what to do with Helene, so I can come too...
Luca, that was a handful of thoughts :-) You know I'm not a Luhmann-expert, but I do know that what Luhmann says about mass media as a function-system is very relevant for this paper. I tried to use Luhmann in the my related previous article (that I finally managed to send in to a journal, still waiting for the reviews). My Brisbane-paper is actually not part of the panel Jean's organising.
Too bad you're not coming to Brisbane though.
Trine, I most certainly hope you'll work out something for Helene so you can come as well! Would be cool to meet you :-)
ditto!
just read your abstract (I'm slow, i know) and it looks good!
Im really intrigued by Underskog, but cna't work out how to register!
in reference to luca's comment, i *would* be weird if you'd been on Jean's panel too! :)
Marika, I'm relly interested in how people is working on individual mass communicators form a Social System theory perspective. To which journal you sended the article?
You are not in Jean's panel? Oh... how many interesting panel have been organised in brisbane!?!?! :-(
it's such a small world, and it wouldn't be weird, it would be cool if you were on my panel...
looking forward to welcoming you to sunny brisbane and showing you all the shiny new buildings ;)
PS I am questioning the implications of the convergence between 'social' and 'creative practice' networks, using flickr mainly - especially the implications for inclusion and democracy of the idea of fashioning a creative self out of a portfolio of social, technological, and cultural literacies...and stuff. So I'm interested in hearing more about your paper as it progresses! Although we don't have that long to write them, I guess...
I'll just recommend spending at least some extra time there if you have the chance. I just did Toronto in 5 days which is just enough time to get from one jetlag to the next. I really regret not having time to hang out for a bit and have a look at the city.
Reading the abstract tickled me quite a bit. This looks like a very interesting subject. Will the full text be made available at any time? If so please give me a bzzzt one way or another (underskog, mail, whuteva).
-m
Jean, your phd-project is the coolest! And utterly relevant for my own work :-) Looking forward to Brisbane indeed. I hope I manage to complete a presentable version of my paper i due time.
And Martin, I'll remember to let you know when the full text is available.
test
So this is how it works.
Please let me intrude as a complete stranger into this internal debate of friends/colleges of Marika in the western academic field of studies in modern mass communication. Living and working in Oslo like Marika I only got aware of Marika when I saw that she is one of the participants of the conference organized by the Norwegian ministry of law May 30. on the challenge of defending personal privacy from the pressure exerted by modern means of communication, making each and every one of us not only potential mass communicators, but also "victims" of a tsunami of information from the new unauthorized mass communicators: http://www.odin.no/jd/norsk/012101-990776/dok-bn.html
I`m looking forward to take part in the conference as a listener and a voice from the floor. While Marika and you her colleges and friends appear as researchers in this brand new field, I prefer to conceive my self as a practitioner, a user of the new opportunities, and have aquired some really revealing experiences from my delibarate exploring of the possibilities for mass communication provided by blogs, e-mail and SMS. I actually find the conference of May 30. as some of a reaction to my broad and intensive activity through modern individually based information-channels, to reach out with a message I find utterly important, but which is being hopelessly resisted, revealing the rather authoritarian nature of the western socalled liberal societies we are inhabiting. The conference obviously is in the prolongation of this news event, where I was the anonymized "sinner" causing the hysteria: http://www.dagsavisen.no/innenriks/article1964293.ece Take a look at my contributions at the blog of the american peace-movement Truthout.org, and begin with my last comment which caused blunt exclusion, without no explanation:
http://forum.truthout.org/blog/comments/2006/5/2/7412/41843/58#58
These regularities only get visible in confrontation with two qualities which western professional academics are trained to suppress, namely a sound philosophical standing in favour of objective truth, and the will and courage to pursue it. I happen to obtain both these qualities, and find myself therefore severly censored and suppressed in western society, but in a process of correcting some widespread misunderstanding.
I`m sincerely sorry that my unemployment-fee does not allow me to join you in Brisbane..
Sigurd
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