[Air-l] case studies of mailinglists

[Ben Davidson]

www.bendavidson.co.uk/professional_pages/publications/articles/lrgegrp.htm

The Internet and the Large Group

Abstract

Although communication via the Internet attracts suspicion, it is more
similar to other communication media than different. The practical workings
and the experience of membership of an Internet forum are described both
through some general samples of discourse and through a case study relating
to a thread of discourse in which the author was centrally involved. The
shared features of this forum and other groups are sketched, drawing on the
case study discourse and drawing parallels between the role and function of
group analyst and that of group moderator. Other features of the forum which
demonstrate some of the large group phenomena described in Kreeger's seminal
text are also explored, challenging Foulkes' notion that 'it is ... doubtful
whether ... ideal [large group] conditions are realisable'.

Ben

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Davidson" <bendavidson at totalise.co.uk>
To: <air-l at aoir.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 7:14 AM
Subject: Re: [Air-l] case studies of mailinglists


> I used a case study approach in a paper The Internet and the Large Group
> that was published in Group Analysis a few years back:
>
> Davidson, B. (1998) The Internet and the Large Group Group Analysis 31[4]
> pp.457-471
>
>
http://www.bendavidson.co.uk/professional_pages/publications/articles/lrgegr
> p.htm
>
> Ben
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "geert lovink" <geert at desk.nl>
> To: <air-l at aoir.org>
> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 3:23 AM
> Subject: [Air-l] case studies of mailinglists
>
>
> > Dear Air-l,
> >
> > for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few
> case
> > studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and
> for
> > the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar
> case
> > studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a
> > suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's
> perhaps
> > a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics
and
> > issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome.
> >
> > BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his
Virtual
> > Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how
> > welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his
> passions.
> >
> > Yours,
> >
> > Geert Lovink (Sydney)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Air-l mailing list
> > Air-l at aoir.org
> > http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l
>