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Delve into the societal implications of technological determinism, social shaping of technology, virtual communities, and cyber cultures. Learn about the shifts in individual behaviors, cultural dynamics, and political landscapes in the digital age. Explore the convergence of technological platforms and functions, global flows, and the shaping of political spaces in this fast-paced and complex cyber world.
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Internet & Society HarindaVidanage PhD hvidanage@stlawu.edu
Theoretical pitfalls • Technological determinism, Mark Poster, Manuel Castells “ Suggesting that new technologies set the conditions for social change and progress” (Raymond Williams 1990) Social determining of technology/ Social Shaping of Technology (SST)
Social science and net • Community • Individual behavior • Cultural shift • Place, space and Geography • Politics and democracy
First Wave thinkers • Mark Poster • Donna Haraway • Howard Rheingold • Sherry Turkle
Virtual Community • New forms of community building and expanding communities beyond physical boundaries, ‘boundary transcendence’ • Howard Rheingold ‘Virtual Communities’ & ‘Smart Mobs’ • Extending human sense experience through ‘Virtual Worlds’ , Ex: Second life and its implications
Life on screen to alone together • The profound changes on human interaction and human behavior with technological interactions and interactions through new mediums of communication • Research by Sherry Turkle Video
Cyber cultures • There is no singular definition of cyber culture, it is a rapidly proliferating, multilayered and complex space where different kinds of technology ‘work’ and generate different interactions. • Blogging, gaming, hacking, dating, forums, picture hosting, streaming, engaging… • “Convergence culture” Jenkins 2006
Convergence • Convergence of Technological platforms, tools • Convergence of Functions: Information ,Entertainment, Military • Ex: Infotainment, Cinema and Geopolitics, Mainstream media and citizen journalism
Cyber Culture • Technology as an attribute • Global flows, globalization and cultural shifts • Shifting identities: Gender, race, migrant, diasporic • Leading to shaping of political spaces
Social science research methodology • Virtual Anthropology • Web Sphere Analysis • Network Analysis