[Air-L] Literature on online conflict

[Mathieu ONeil]

Hi James

Conflict in groups can be conceptualized in organizational terms (they distinguish between task, process, etc forms of conflict), in anthropological terms (the group constituting itself against a monstrous "other"). In online communities it can be a way to enforce discipline, reinforce cohesion, indoctrinate newcomers etc. I deal with these issues in my book Cyberchiefs. For organization science perspectives on conflict in distributed teams see the work of people like Pamela Hinds, Karen Jehn, Elizabeth Mannix. For an Internet-specific take see Franco et al. "Anatomy of a flame" and for work that focuses on communication see Lange "What is your claim to flame" and O'Sullivan and Flanagin "Reconceptualising flaming". There are probably many others.


HTH
cheers


Mathieu

On 02/18/13, James Robson  <james.robson at gtc.ox.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I wonder if anyone could help. I’m looking for literature that deals with online conflict at a theoretical level.
> 
> For my doctorate I’m undertaking a digital ethnography of some teacher related online social spaces and conflict appears to be very important for the communities I’ve been participating in, mainly in two ways: firstly in meaning making arguments which develop users’ understandings of their subjects and themselves as professionals (eg arguments about the purpose of their subject, the purpose of teaching etc); and secondly, in arguments in which a majority unifies against a minority to emphasize a particular dominant discourse (eg you have to be a particular kind of person to be a good teacher). In both of these situations conflict seems to be particularly important in relation to the construction and performance of users’ professional identities.
> 
> I’m trying to develop my thinking on what’s going on here, so am looking for literature that deals with online conflict particularly at a theoretical level.
> 
> Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks
> James
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--
****
Dr Mathieu O'Neil
Associate Professor, HDEA-TCS, Université Paris Sorbonne
1 rue Victor Cousin 75230 Paris cedex 05, France
http://www.paris-sorbonne.fr/l-universite/nos-enseignants-chercheurs/article/o-neil-mathieu

Adjunct Research Fellow, ADSRI, The Australian National University

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https://researchers.anu.edu.au/researchers/o-neil-m