[Air-l] suggestions for lurking researcher?

[jespert]

Dear Charles,

I would say that this one is easiest to understand using a theoretical 
framework. For example in a mailing list communicating open source you 
have no argument telling that an application is economically seen the 
best solution - you have to talk about effective/not effective. Or in a 
newsgroup communicating love you have no argument telling that one 
relationship would be more rational than another.

Many social systems can be described as linked to a special symbolical 
generalized communication medium like technology (effective/not 
effective), and the others, you know Luhmann describes about 10 power, 
love, economy& as I have been discussing with you in Copenhagen.

I have found that the group about animals (that I mentioned to Emilie in 
the former mails) has an interpretation scheme linked to their history 
of interaction were you e.g. must love your pet, you must pay what it 
cots if it get sick etc. So in relation to the different symbolical 
generalized communication media there are formed what I call a border of 
meaning through the online communities history of interaction, 
describing what arguments that have the best probability for acceptance 
in different groups.

Power is a symbolical generalized communication medium (position/ 
opposition) itself and many online communities discuss politic, but in 
every social system power like the other codes are in play: In the group 
communicating open source, people that can handle the code of technology 
will keep position as long as the border of meaning supports it, no 
matter what moral etc. arguments you have. In the group about pets you 
have to handle all the codes in relation to pets that are provided by 
the history of interactions in that group.

I think that the social has become much more selective with the digital 
interaction media  now communication can be cut down to a very narrow 
definition on what we can talk about and in what tone  but ok this also 
enable discussions between like minded about very specialized and 
differentiated topics without interruptions.

Have a nice weekend
Jesper



Charles Ess wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>One of my undergraduate students (and, indeed, for another class) would like
>to research message boards (as a lurker - though I've apprised her of the
>AoIR guidelines) to determine what relationship(s), if any, may exist
>between amount/kinds of information under discussion and the emergence of
>hierarchical / power structures.
>
>I just know that there must be a thousand citations out there that she
>should look at - if you have any to recommend, I'd be grateful if you could
>forward those to me.
>
>Many thanks!  And cheers,
>
>Charles Ess
>
>Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
>Drury University
>900 N. Benton Ave.              Voice: 417-873-7230
>Springfield, MO  65802  USA       FAX: 417-873-7435
>Home page:  http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html
>
>Co-chair, CATaC'06: http://www.catacconference.org
>Co-chair, ECAP'06: http://www.eu-cap.org
>
>Professor II, Globalization and Applied Ethics Programmes
>Norwegian University of Science and Technology
>NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
>http://www.anvendtetikk.ntnu.no/pres/bridgingcultures.php
>
>Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23
>
>
>
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-- 
Jesper Tække - MA. Ph.D.-Student - IT University of Copenhagen - Dept. of Digital Aesthetics & Communication -  Rued Langgaards Vej 7 - DK-2300 Copenhagen S - Phone +45 7218 5000 - Direct +45 7218 5037 - Fax +45 7218 5001 - http://home16.inet.tele.dk/jesper_t/  - e-mail: jespert at itu.dk