Social Network Technologies

Tools for Social ChangeSOCI 2060

July 14, 2010

Overview

• Social capital: what is it?• Technologies for social change• Limitations of technologies for social

change• Case studies• The importance of strategy

The hidden “social experts”

Copernicus Consulting is a social research company that specializes in uncovering social insights, creating design and marketing strategies, and aligning organizations to realize those strategies.

The social as capitalThe “volume of the social capital possessed by a given agent thus depends on the size of the network of connections” – Bourdieu

Bourdieu, P. 1986. “The forms of capital.” P. 241-258. Handbook of Theory And Research For The Sociology of Education. Richardson, J. G. (ed). New York: Greenwood. p., 248

Social capital pay offs

“It is remarkable that people receive crucial information from individuals whose very existence they have forgotten.” – Granovetter

Granovetter, M. (1973). The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6). p. 1371

What kinds of organizations enable social capital?

Small, Mario Luis (2009). Unanticipated Gains: Origins Of Network Inequality In Everday Life. New York: Oxford University Press.

Social capital is best formed when:

1. There are frequent opportunities for interaction2. These interactions are regular3. They are long-lasting4. They are minimally competitive5. They are maximally cooperative6. They involve motivations internal to the organization

to maintain these ties and7. External motivations to maintain these ties.

Social Networks Online

MySpace User-generated Content Advertising Fan

Pages social networking buzz Social

Media YouTube viral Twitter LinkedIn Friendster Social bookmarking Folksonomy Widgets Wordpress

Microblogging Web 2.0 Facebook Marketing Word-

of-Mouth

Social Networks Online

Various email listservs

Socially Networked Communication

Socially Networked CommunicationPower Point Presentations

“Micro” blogging

Video

Old-fashioned email

Photo sharing

Activists cannot live on social networks alone

• Many social networks are privately owned corporations that own YOUR intellectual property as soon as you upload it– Facebook terms of service

• You must have somewhere you control and can update

• Make your own Web site using free tools like Wordpress

Case study: Kenyan Elections

Case study: #hohoTO

Case Study: “The Hub”

Walmart’s poorly executed social network

Astroturfing

Astroturfing

The primary source of funding is not a surprise - this is a Canadian Recording Industry Association production. 

The Importance of Strategy

• You must have a focus! Advertisers use the “creative brief” as a focus tool– Who are you trying to reach?– What do you want them to do?– Where do they “live”? E.g., off-line or

online?– What would really piss them off?– What message would really resonate

with them?

Back to Social Capital

• Be aware of your habitus and your audience’s habitus

• Leverage your own social capital• Cultivate weak ties• Nurture new social capital in how you

organize yourselves• Be authentic• Write a brief• Design for the network

Sam Ladner, PhD

@sladnersladner@copernicusconsulting.nethttp://copernicusconsulting.net