Unit 7. Social trend 1: The emerging of new forms of communities

1. University of Aruba FAS: SW&D / OG&M November 17, 2009 Unit 2 1 Critical literacy, communication & Interaction 2 (Ge3b)

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3. Today’s program 3 Explore the effect technological developments –such as the internet and social media revolution- have on relationships in terms of social capital Method: class discussion on the effects internet has on community bonding and social capital

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5. Questions: 5 How does the internet affect the formation, development and maintenance of new online social relationships? In specific: how does the internet help to sustain existing relationships offline? Envision what the future will look like in terms of new forms of community involvement? Identify possible challenges and opportunities? Which forms of social capital does social media capitalize the most? (in terms of valuable assets?)

6. Community and social capital 6 Community=A community is a group of individuals with an internal structure of reciprocity relations. Conditions favoring a community: The more people are interdependent, the more they have and/or expect to have long-term relationships, the more they have multiplex relationships and the easier they are mutually accessible, the more they will develop mutual reciprocity relations Which means: the more they are a community

7. Social Capital 7 Relationships are a valuable asset Humans are social being: we have relationships with others Society is composed of multiple communities (formal and informal) that are connected to each other. Internal structure can be described in terms of sc Interaction (communication) is the binding glue of society and of communities and between communities

8. Social capital 8 SC is the aggregate of the actual potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition (Bourdieu) SC consists of social connections, who you know and who you are friendly with, who you can call on for help or favors

9. Social Capital 9 When approaching SC we look at the nature of these connections Types of assets: Trust Norms Reciprocity Information Cooperation Mobilization identification

10. Types of SC 10 Bonding: ties between people in similar situations (are alike) , such as immediate family, close friends, neighbors Bridging: more distant ties of persons: workmates, loose friendships and workmates Linking: reaches out to unlike people in dissimilar situations, such as those who are entirely outside of the community.

11. Technological developments & globalization 11 Printable press revolution Telephone revolution Recorded media: photo, film, sound Radio /Television revolution Internet: Internet synchronizes all of above media You consult it, it reaches all who have access to internet You are both consumer as producer of information Not only information, but also relationships http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

12. The social affordances of computerized communication (Wellman, 2001) 12 Broader bandwidth: the number of bits that can be pushed through a computer network connection is multiplying at tremendous speed. Wireless portability: We are moving to a world of both ubiquitous and portable computing (think of mobile phones and the many applications they have Blackberry & Iphone gen) Globalized connectivity: space and time barriers have collapsed Personalization: You can express your individuality on the web. Whenever you log on to a communication device/social network, it knows who you are, where you are and what your preferences are

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15. Virtual geography 15

16. Social capital and internet 16 Internet has been linked to both increases as decreased of social capital Decrease: internet use detracts from face-to-face time with others, which might diminish an individual’s social capital Supplement: online interactions may supplement or replace in-person interactions, justifying any loss from time spent online Increase: new relationships emerge. Internet facilitates new ways to communicate, both existing relationships as new ones.

17. Online communities: Social media 17 What is social media? Based on social networking fundamentals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc Facebook and Social Capital: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTL8PBomUE

18. How does internet affect communities? 18

19. Physical place & Cyberplace (wellman, 2001) 19 Wellman’s essay deals with the following hypothesis: “Computer networks are social networks. Social affordances —broader bandwidth, wireless portability, globalized connectivity, personalization– are fostering the movement from door-to-door and place-to-place communities to person-to-person and role-to-role communities. People connect in social networks rather than in communal groups” “ in-person and computer-mediated communication are integrated in communities characterized by personalized networking” (Wellman, 2001)

20. A computer network is a social network 20 We find community in networks, not groups. Although we often view the world in terms of groups, we function in networks.

21. It looks more like this 21

22. Changes in community 22 Door-to door communities (within the spatial boundaries of communities) Place-to-place communities (within the households boundaries: household-to household) Person-to-person communities Role-to-role communities

23. What are the differences and similarities? Physical community Internet community 23

24. Emerging of new (virtual) Communities 24 Traditional boundaries have fade away Most people operate in multiple, thinly-connected, partial communities as they deal with networks of kin, neighbors, friends, workmates, and organizational ties. Rather than fitting into the same group as those around them… Each person has his/her own “personal community”

25. The Web as random acts of kindness 25 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jonathan_zittrain_the_web_is_a_random_act_of_kindness.html

26. How social media can make history 26 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html