COMM 410: New Media & Community Life : Course Blog (Spring 2009)

Thompson, C. (Sept 5, 2008). Brave New World of Digital Intimacy. The New York Times Magazine.

Boyd, D., & Ellison, N.B. (2007). Social network sites: definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.

Steinfield, C., Ellison, N. B, & Lampe, C. (2008). Social Capital, self-esteem, and use of online social network sites: a longitudinal analysis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 29: 434-445.

Huberman, B.A., D.M. Romero., F. Wu (2009). Social networks that matter: Twitter under the microscope. First Monday 14(1).

Livingston, S. (2008). Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation. New Media & Society 10(3), 393-411.

Sigman, A (2009). Well Connected?: The Biological Implications of 'Social Networking' is published in the Spring edition of Biologist, Vol 56(1), 14-20.

Note: Assignment number 4 has changed from what is printed on the course outline.

Due: May 1 (2:00pm)

10% of final grade.

Your assignment is to explore the social and societal implications of social networking websites in relation to the course material.

Photocopy the "Facebook Survey" in the assignment handout and administer it to a minimum of 20 people. Half of your interviews must be with people between the age of 18 and 22, the other half must be over the age of 35.  Within each age group, half of your interviews must be with men, the other half with women. 

After completing your surveys, analyze and discuss your findings in relation to the course readings. It is recommended that you enter your completed surveys in a spreadsheet and do some basic statistics (frequencies, averages, crosstabs (if you can), etc.). At a minimum, your findings should include a discussion of the following course themes and topics: dystopian views of new media, relational quality, social networks, relationship formation, and pervasive awareness / social networking services. You may find it helpful to conduct your analysis as a comparison between different types of survey participants. For example, comparing men and women, young and old, heavy users and light users, etc. (there are many possibilities for comparison).

You must provide evidence and references from the course readings to substantiate your findings / conclusions.

Submit your findings in the form of a blog post of 2000-3000 words. Print your full name and your blog username on the top of each survey, staple them together and hand in to the course instructor.

Hampton, K.N., & Gupta, N. (2008). Grande Wi-Fi: Social Interaction in Wireless Coffee Shops.

Hampton, K.N., Livio, O., & Sessions, L (under review). The Social Life of Wireless Urban Spaces: Internet Use, Social Networks, and the Public Realm. Journal of Communication.

Madara, J. (2009). I Am Here. Wired Magazine, February. 70-75.

Humphreys, L. (2007). Mobile social networks and social practice: A case study of Dodgeball. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 17.

Note: Assignment number 3 has changed from what is printed on the course outline.

Due: April 21 - Before class

15% of final grade.

Your assignment is to conduct ethnographic observations of how new media (e.g., mobile phones, WiFi, Computers, PDAs, digital music players, etc) influences social interactions in public/semi-public spaces (if they do at all!). You have the option of completing this assignment at 30th Street Station, Starbucks at 19th & Chestnut, or with permission from the instructor another public space (not in University City). Spend a total of 5 hours (two 2½ hour observation periods over two days Mon-Fri) at your assigned location. All observations must be conducted between 8:00am and 7:00pm. You may visit the field site with a classmate, but observations and notes must be made independently.

 You should observe individuals in your space unobtrusively. You may not supplement your observations with interviews. You may take photographs where permitted. You must take extensive notes documenting your observations. You should be close enough to people in your space to include both direct and indirect quotes in your notes. However, do not get so close, or stare at anyone for such a prolonged period that you make them feel uncomfortable. You should have at least 2-4 pages of notes (single-spaced) for every hour of observation.

Write a blog posting (2500-300 words) discussing your findings. You are free to explore any theme(s) based on the course material related to the question: "How does new media change social interaction in public spaces?"

Discuss your observations in relation to the course readings. You may also bring up to 6 additional references into your blog post (be sure to provide a full reference).

On the day your assignment is due you will be assigned a small group, you will meet with your small group, discuss your findings, and make a short 10 minute group presentation explaining your observations. At the end of the class hand in your observation notes to the instructor.

See the assignment handout for all the details.

In preparation for your ethnographic work, note taking, and reporting, you may find guidance in the following reading:

Laurier, Eric, Angus Whyte, & Kathy Buckner (2001). An ethnography of a neighbourhood café: informality, table arrangements and background noise. Journal of Mundane Behavior 2(2). http://mundanebehavior.org/issues/v2n2/laurier.htm

Koskela, Hille (2000). 'The gaze without eyes': video-surveillance and the changing nature of urban space. Porgress in Human Geography 24(2): 243-265.

Smith, Gavin J.D. (2004). Behind the Screens. Surveillance & Society 2(2/3): 376-395.

Salzberg, C. (August 8, 2008). Japan: Letter to Google about Street View. 

Hampton, K.N., & Wellman, B. (2003). Neighboring in Netville: How the Internet Supports Community and Social Capital in a Wired Suburb. City and Community 2(4), 277-311.

Hampton, K. N. (2007). Neighborhoods in the network society: The e-neighbors study. Information, Communication and Society, 10(5), 714-748.

Hampton, K.N. (2009). Internet Use and the Concentration of Disadvantage: Glocalization and the Urban Underclass.  Working paper.

Wellman, B. (2001). Physical Place and Cyberplace: The Rise of Networked Individualism. In L. Keeble & B. Loader (Eds.), Community Informatics: Shaping Computer-Mediated Social Relations. London: Routledge

Class does not meet to allow time for video game lab.

No readings this week. Enjoy your break!

Reminder - New days added for the video game lab. You can now sign up for times on March 9, 10, and 13.