[Air-L] religious uses of social media

[Charles Ess]

Hi Laura,

thanks for this - most helpful!
It's consistent with my earlier findings - collected entirely by my Japanese
colleagues - i.e., the Buddhists tend to be ahead of the curve with CMC
technologies - so, most interesting!
Again, thanks!
BTW: Elizabeth Buchanan and I will be at your place on 21-22 May for
workshops, etc., re. Internet Research Ethics - if you have time and
interest in attending, please introduce yourself to me so that I can thank
you in person.

again, thanks - best wishes in your work,
- c.
> 
> I have come across a number of Buddhist uses of social media that fit within
> the contemplative/monastic traditions.
> Probably the most famous is the work at Zen Mountain Monastery, which hosts
> its own communications center: http://www.dharma.net/. They have an online
> radio station, store, and working on a "cybermonastery" where, last I heard,
> they would put up teachings and have a question and answer service.
> 
> There is a Buddhist monk on Twitter who sends out daily messages:
> http://twitter.com/buddhistmonk
> You can also find a list of other Buddhist twitter users here:
> http://lodenjinpa.com/buddhists-on-twitter/
> 
> I have also observed monastics on Web forums discussing guided meditation
> practices with other forum members via chat using texts and images from the
> Web (there are a great deal of Buddhist texts online in multiple languages) to
> guide the practice.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> -Laura Busch
> 
> 
> **************************
> Laura Busch
> PhD Candidate
> Department of Communication
> University of Washington
> lbusch at u.washington.edu
> http://staff.washington.edu/lbusch
> 
> 
> --------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:22:16 -0500
> From: Charles Ess <charles.ess at gmail.com>
> Reply-To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
> To: "air-l at listserv.aoir.org" <air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
> Subject: [Air-L] religious uses of social media?
> 
> Dear AoIR-ists,
> 
> On behalf of a colleague who is seeking to help a monastic community - I'm
> trying to develop an inventory of (possible/actual) uses of social media
> such as SNS's, Twitter, etc. that either
> (a) fit within - rather than disrupt or distort - the disciplines and
> practices defining / constituting monastic life and contemplation, and/or
> (b) might foster one or more of those practices, e.g. _lectio divina_ and
> other forms of guided/disciplined contemplation of sacred texts, community
> prayer, etc.
> 
> I have some interesting examples from my previous (very modest) work in
> these domains - but all of which emerged prior to the explosion of social
> media such as SNS's, Twitter, etc.
> 
> So ... any suggestions for more contemporary examples, resources, contacts,
> etc. would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks in advance,
> - charles ess
> 
> President, Association of Internet Researchers
> Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
> Drury University, Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
> 
> Professor MSO (med særlige opgaver),
> Department of Information and Media Studies
> Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
> 
> Co-editor, International Journal of Internet Research Ethics
> <http://ijire.net/>
> Co-chair, CATaC conferences <www.catacconference.org>
> 
> Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23
> 
> 
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