Post on 30-May-2018
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DIGC 101 week 3:DIGC 101 week 3:
Analyzing teh InterWebzAnalyzing teh InterWebz
Andrew WhelanAndrew Whelan
awhelan@uow.edu.auawhelan@uow.edu.au19.201019.2010
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OverviewOverview
What kind of stuff is the web made of, andWhat kind of stuff is the web made of, and
why care?why care?
Research traditions that inform webResearch traditions that inform web
analysisanalysis What are we looking AT, and what are weWhat are we looking AT, and what are we
looking FOR, when we analyse the web?looking FOR, when we analyse the web?
Performing online selves, conductingPerforming online selves, conducting
online researchonline research
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Serious business:Serious business:
Among all the technological, politicalAmong all the technological, political
and economic infrastructures put inand economic infrastructures put inplace to install the new world orderplace to install the new world order
and economy, just one may beand economy, just one may be
mentioned as epitomizing the whole:mentioned as epitomizing the whole:
networked information technologynetworked information technology(Alan Liu,(Alan Liu, Laws of CoolLaws of Cool 2004: 6).2004: 6).
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Teh interwebz is made of stuff !1!!Teh interwebz is made of stuff !1!!
Content/Discourse/Interaction etc.
Network(Software)
FLOSS/Microsoft, Adobe etc.
Hardware
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Hardware What is it made of?What is it made of?
Where does itWhere does it
come from?come from?
Who makes it?Who makes it?
Where does it goWhere does it gowhen were donewhen were done
with it?with it?
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e.g. a Dell laptop:e.g. a Dell laptop:
The components are sourced from variousThe components are sourced from variouscountries, which include: the chassiscountries, which include: the chassis(Taiwan); hard disk drive (Thailand); BIOS(Taiwan); hard disk drive (Thailand); BIOSchip (U.S.); floppy disk drive (China); ACchip (U.S.); floppy disk drive (China); ACadapter (China, but in the future,adapter (China, but in the future,Thailand); CD ROM (Japan); fax modemThailand); CD ROM (Japan); fax modemcards (U.S.); docking station (Taiwan);cards (U.S.); docking station (Taiwan);and the memory board (Korea, Japan, orand the memory board (Korea, Japan, or
Singapore).Singapore).
(http://cryptome.org/uscs092002.txt)(http://cryptome.org/uscs092002.txt)
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e.g. Googleplex server farmse.g. Googleplex server farms
Project 02Project 02in The Dalles, Oregon.in The Dalles, Oregon.
SeeSee
http://www.harpers.org/media/slideshow/annot/http://www.harpers.org/media/slideshow/annot/
2008-03/index.html2008-03/index.html
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Whos in, whos not?Whos in, whos not?
Global connectivity and the digital divide circa 2007Global connectivity and the digital divide circa 2007
(http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000639)(http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000639)
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The digital divide is a continuum,The digital divide is a continuum,
rather than a binary with haves andrather than a binary with haves and
have-notshave-nots
Lack of access and poor accessLack of access and poor access
compound pre-existent inequalitiescompound pre-existent inequalities
(the analog divide)(the analog divide)
Access is marketised: e-inclusion isAccess is marketised: e-inclusion is
usually not the priorityusually not the priority
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Free networks, open spectrum, &Free networks, open spectrum, &
net neutralitynet neutrality
E.g.:E.g.:
http://www.guifi.net/enhttp://www.guifi.net/en
http://www.coffswifi.net/http://www.coffswifi.net/
http://www.openspectrum.org.au/http://www.openspectrum.org.au/
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Interwebz is not freeInterwebz is not free
Access is a socialAccess is a socialequity issue, but itequity issue, but itis also a freeis also a freespeech issuespeech issue
The internet is notThe internet is notreallyreallyfree eitherfree either
in the sense ofin the sense offree beer, or infree beer, or inthe sense of freethe sense of freespeechspeech
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Why care? The point is Why care? The point is
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Front end : where the action isFront end : where the action is
Most web analysisMost web analysis
focuses on content /focuses on content /
discourse / interaction,discourse / interaction,
not on the infrastructurenot on the infrastructure
enabling it. Why mightenabling it. Why mightthat be?that be?
Content/Discourse/
Interaction etc.
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Theres no there there, BUT:Theres no there there, BUT:
Interwebz functions as new space forInterwebz functions as new space for
Social life and the organisation ofSocial life and the organisation ofsocial lifesocial life
The elaboration and performance ofThe elaboration and performance ofsocial identitysocial identity
The production and distribution ofThe production and distribution ofcultureculture
Hence Hence
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(a few) Research traditions that(a few) Research traditions that
inform web analysisinform web analysis
Social organisation and the structureSocial organisation and the structure
of social groups:of social groups:
Social network analysis, networkSocial network analysis, network
mapping, online social networks, themapping, online social networks, the
virtual community debatevirtual community debate
e.g. Barry Wellman, danah boyd,e.g. Barry Wellman, danah boyd,
Howard RheingoldHoward Rheingold
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More research traditions that informMore research traditions that inform
web analysisweb analysis
Social identity, psychology and socialSocial identity, psychology and social
psychology in virtual spacespsychology in virtual spaces
Virtual identity as therapy, impact ofVirtual identity as therapy, impact of
virtual on real selvesvirtual on real selves
e.g. Sherry Turkle, Yair Amichai-e.g. Sherry Turkle, Yair Amichai-HamburgerHamburger
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still more research traditions thatstill more research traditions that
inform web analysisinform web analysis
Computer mediated communication:Computer mediated communication:
Language use, sociolinguistics, and theLanguage use, sociolinguistics, and the
structure of online social interactionstructure of online social interaction
e.g. Susan Herringe.g. Susan Herring
TLDR LOL N00B l337 PWNED etc.:TLDR LOL N00B l337 PWNED etc.:
we're in your media trollin for lulz we're in your media trollin for lulz
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cyberculturecyberculture
Virtual anthropology, cyberVirtual anthropology, cyber
ethnography etc.ethnography etc.
e.g. Christine Hine, Steve Jones,e.g. Christine Hine, Steve Jones,
Nancy Baym, Lori KendallNancy Baym, Lori Kendall
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Googleable? What kind of onlineGoogleable? What kind of online
presence do these people have?presence do these people have?
Barry WellmanBarry Wellman danah boyddanah boyd Howard RheingoldHoward Rheingold
Sherry TurkleSherry Turkle Yair Amichai-HamburgerYair Amichai-Hamburger Susan HerringSusan Herring Christine HineChristine Hine Steve JonesSteve Jones Nancy BaymNancy Baym Lori KendallLori Kendall
Are they easy to find?Are they easy to find?
What are they on about?What are they on about?
Do they have more than one site?Do they have more than one site?
Do they look good online?Do they look good online?(professional, approachable,(professional, approachable,interesting etc.)interesting etc.)
Are their virtual presences static?Are their virtual presences static?
Are they institutional?Are they institutional?
Do they link to others?Do they link to others?
How do their online presencesHow do their online presencesposition you, the user?position you, the user?
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Why ask these questions?Why ask these questions?
Interwebz is not just a social space,Interwebz is not just a social space,
as such its also a space beingas such its also a space being
researchedresearched
We need to know how to look onlineWe need to know how to look online
(how to look at, and how to(how to look at, and how to bebelooked at how to be effective inlooked at how to be effective in
response to the looks of others)response to the looks of others)
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The abyss gazes alsoThe abyss gazes also
Just as computer-mediated communicationJust as computer-mediated communicationinfluences offline social life, so it influencesinfluences offline social life, so it influencessocial research and how its conducted.social research and how its conducted.
If it influences social research, itIf it influences social research, itinfluences undergraduate education influences undergraduate education where were at.where were at.
Hence Hence
h k t th d dcheck o t the ndergrad
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check out the undergradcheck out the undergrad
cyberculture course sites you cancyberculture course sites you can
find through these links:find through these links:RCCS: http://rccs.usfca.edu/RCCS: http://rccs.usfca.edu/
VoS: http://vos.ucsb.edu/index.aspVoS: http://vos.ucsb.edu/index.asp
What seems to be being taught elsewhere?What seems to be being taught elsewhere?
Which set of links is better/more interesting? WhichWhich set of links is better/more interesting? Whichof the above sites is doing better?of the above sites is doing better?
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A few things to bear in mind:A few things to bear in mind:
Interwebz:Interwebz: is changing nature of research in the humanitiesis changing nature of research in the humanities is changing the distribution of knowledge sois changing the distribution of knowledge so
producedproduced
Online research isOnline research is cheap:cheap: research takes place inresearch takes place ina social contexta social context
WeWe can intervene in thesecan intervene in theseprocesses: we are teh interwebzprocesses: we are teh interwebz
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Sorts of questions it might be useful to think about for yourSorts of questions it might be useful to think about for your
reflective piece:reflective piece:
what is teh interwebz made of? Whatwhat is teh interwebz made of? What
kind of interventions are being madekind of interventions are being made
in relation to it?in relation to it?
How do we look online, and whatHow do we look online, and what
might it be good to look like?might it be good to look like?
What are YOU interested in lookingWhat are YOU interested in looking
atatabout/in online environments?about/in online environments?