[Air-L] reformatting internet studies

[Barry Wellman]

This is what Charles Ess wrote:

Drawing on disciplines throughout the natural sciences, social sciences, 
and the humanities, Internet Studies explores Internet-facilitated human 
(and machine) communication with characteristic (but not exclusive) focus 
on how identity, agency, relationship, community, and power interact with 
the affordances of Internet-based communication technologies, often with a 
careful view towards larger ethical, social, political, cultural, 
economic, legal, and other human contexts. Internet Studies further 
includes meta-theoretical development and refinement of various research 
methodologies; specific attention to the ethical challenges and possible 
resolutions to these challenges that arise in the course of such research; 
and the histories of the Internet, including web history as a domain in 
its own right.

Without commenting much on its validity (first glance seems pretty good), 
I would like to rewrite in shorter sentences and some simplifying

Internet Studies describes and analyzes internet-facilitated human and 
machine communication with a characteristic (but not exclusive) focus on 
the affordances of internet-based communication and information 
technologies. It draws on disciplines throughout the social sciences, 
humanities, and the natural sciences. Internet Studies often takes a 
careful view of ethical, social, historical, political, cultural, 
economic, legal and other human contexts, and it also includes germane 
theoretical and methodological developments.

That's a straight rewrite, but I wonder why "Internet" when Mobile and 
Things are becoming important. Should it be rewritten as Digital Media 
Studies?

Just my .02 for the day

and hi to the ICA folks. Wish I could be there.


   Barry Wellman
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   FRSC                 INSNA Founder               University of Toronto
   http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman           twitter: @barrywellman
   NETWORKED:The New Social Operating System.  Lee Rainie & Barry Wellman
   MIT Press            http://amzn.to/zXZg39        Print $14  Kindle $9
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