[Air-l] social movements / social software

david silver dsilver at u.washington.edu
Wed Apr 12 09:45:40 PDT 2006


thanks, Andrew, for your post. to start with the PS ...

> P.S.  A working definition of social software in this case would be useful 
> as well.

first, let me say there's folks out there, and on this list, that know a lot more about social software than me. when it comes to social software, i learn a ton from:

http://www.tiara.org/blog/
http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/
http://alex.halavais.net/

that said, i like, but don't love, wikipedia's definition:

"Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_software

the problem with this definition can be found in the excellent excerpt that Todd Davies posted to this list.  from one of the young organizers in texas (see http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/11/1426244):

"...immediately I had to call a best friend of mine, Miguel, and as soon as we 
called him, I mean, we spent the rest of the day just calling, texting people 
on their cell phones, emails, and by anywhere. We got some -- I had made some 
fliers, and I made some that same night."

in other words, as much as we, members of the assoc of INTERNET researchers, want to focus on net-based software, most of us use all kinds of social software, including cell phones, texting, emails, FLIERS, stickers, etc.  moreover, as i learned from npr and the chutry experiment (http://chutry.wordherders.net/), many of these marches were organized via one of the grandmothers of social software: radio.  not just radio, but SPANISH speaking radio (and, once again, issues of language emerge on this list).

regarding the web site, what i like about it is its ability to help users go from virtual to physical.  one click on the map gives users the ability to find a march or marches near them.  thus: a) visit a web site in order to b) participate in a march.

whether it's latino/a youth using myspace to organize marches or whether it's spanish-speaking radio stations rallying people to attend, these kinds of events remind us about how much new media and "old" media reside below our mainstream radars.

and that's a good thing.

david silver
http://silverinseattle.blogspot.com/

On Wed, 12 Apr 2006, Andrew Herman wrote:

> David-
>
> This is both fascinaqting and important.  Can you give some more detail about how this web site (or anay other involved in this movement) is based upon, delpoys, advances "social software" in an explicit way?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andrew Herman
>
> P.S.  A working definition of social software in this case would be useful as well.
>
> Andrew Herman, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor
> Department of Communication Studies
> Wilfrid Laurier University
> Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
> CANADA
> 519 884-1970 x3693
>>>> dsilver at u.washington.edu 04/10/06 3:56 PM >>>
> people,
>
> today, across the US, there are marches and rallies for equal human rights.  the events appear to be organized in a decentralized manner and are distributed across the north, south, east, and west regions of the united states.  some estimates suggest that by the end of the day, 2 million people will march.
>
> in an attempt to preempt barry wellman questioning whether this is a relevant topic of internet research (!), let me say that much of this organization is happening with the help of digital media / social software, including social networking sites and good old fashioned web sites like this: http://www.cccaction.org/cccaction/april10_index.html
>
> some people are suggesting that this is the first significant US social movement since 9-11.  whether or not that is true, it's fascinating to see that this is a social movement led by people of color.
>
> david silver
> http://silverinseattle.blogspot.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> The air-l at listserv.aoir.org mailing list
> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org
> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
>
> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:
> http://www.aoir.org/
>
> _______________________________________________
> The air-l at listserv.aoir.org mailing list
> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org
> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
>
> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:
> http://www.aoir.org/
>





More information about the Air-L mailing list