1. University of Aruba
FAS: SW&D / OG&M
November 17, 2009
Unit 2
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Critical literacy, communication & Interaction 2 (Ge3b)

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3. Todaysprogram
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Explore the effect technological developments such as the internet and social media revolution- have on relationships in terms of social capital
Method: class discussion on the effects internet has on community bonding and social capital
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5. Questions:
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How does the internet affect the formation, development and maintenance of new online social relationships?
In specific: how does the internet help to sustain existing relationships offline?
Envision what the future will look like in terms of new forms of community involvement? Identify possible challenges and opportunities?
Which forms of social capital does social media capitalize the most? (in terms of valuable assets?)
6. Community and social capital
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Community=A community is a group of individuals with an internal structure of reciprocity relations.
Conditions favoring a community:
The more people are interdependent, the more they have and/or expect to have long-term relationships, the more they have multiplex relationships and the easier they are mutually accessible, the more they will develop mutual reciprocity relations
Which means: the more they are a community
7. Social Capital
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Relationshipsare a valuable asset
Humans are social being: we have relationships with others
Society is composed of multiple communities(formal and informal) that are connected to each other. Internal structure can be described in terms of sc
Interaction (communication) is the binding glue of society and of communities and between communities
8. Social capital
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SC is the aggregate of the actual potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition (Bourdieu)
SC consists of social connections, who you know and who you are friendly with, who you can call on for help or favors
9. Social Capital
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When approaching SC we look at the nature of these connections
Types of assets:
Trust
Norms
Reciprocity
Information
Cooperation
Mobilization
identification
10. Types of SC
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Bonding: ties between people in similar situations (are alike) , such as immediate family, close friends, neighbors
Bridging: more distant ties of persons: workmates, loose friendshipsand workmates
Linking: reaches out to unlike people in dissimilar situations, such as those who are entirely outside of the community.
11. Technological developments & globalization
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Printable press revolution
Telephone revolution
Recorded media: photo, film, sound
Radio /Television revolution
Internet:
Internet synchronizes all of above media
You consult it, it reaches all who have access to internet
You are both consumer as producer of information
Not only information, but also relationships
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
12. The social affordances of computerized communication (Wellman, 2001)
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Broader bandwidth: the number of bits that can be pushed through a computer network connection is multiplying at tremendous speed.
Wireless portability: We are moving to a world of both ubiquitous and portable computing (think of mobile phones and the many applications they have Blackberry & Iphone gen)
Globalized connectivity: space and time barriers have collapsed
Personalization: You can express your individuality on the web. Whenever you log on to a communication device/social network, it knows who you are, where you are and what your preferences are
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15. Virtual geography
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16. Social capital and internet
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Internet has been linked to both increases as decreased of social capital
Decrease: internet use detracts from face-to-face time with others, which might diminish an individuals social capital
Supplement: online interactions may supplement or replace in-person interactions, justifying any loss from time spent online
Increase: new relationships emerge. Internet facilitates new ways to communicate, both existing relationships as new ones.
17. Online communities: Social media
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What is social media?
Based on social networking fundamentals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc
Facebook and Social Capital:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTL8PBomUE
18. How does internet affect communities?
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19. Physical place & Cyberplace (wellman, 2001)
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Wellmans essay deals with the following hypothesis:
Computer networks are social networks. Social affordances broader bandwidth, wireless portability, globalized connectivity, personalization are fostering the movement from door-to-door and place-to-place communities to person-to-person and role-to-role communities. People connect in social networks rather than in communal groups
in-person and computer-mediated communication are integrated in communities characterized by personalized networking (Wellman, 2001)
20. A computer network is a social network
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We find community in networks, not groups. Although we often view the world in terms of groups, we function in networks.
21. It looks more like this
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22. Changes in community
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Door-to door communities (within the spatial boundaries of communities)
Place-to-place communities (within the households boundaries: household-to household)
Person-to-person communities
Role-to-role communities
23. What are the differences and similarities?
Physical community
Internet community
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24. Emerging of new (virtual) Communities
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Traditional boundaries have fade away
Most people operate in multiple, thinly-connected, partial communities as they deal with networks of kin, neighbors, friends, workmates, and organizational ties.
Rather than fitting into the same group as those around them
Each person has his/her own personal community
25. The Web as random acts of kindness
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http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jonathan_zittrain_the_web_is_a_random_act_of_kindness.html
26. How social media can make history
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http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html