digc101 week 3 - dr andrew whelan - analysing the web

8/14/2019 DIGC101 Week 3 - Dr Andrew Whelan - Analysing the Web

1/25

DIGC 101 week 3:DIGC 101 week 3:

Analyzing teh InterWebzAnalyzing teh InterWebz

Andrew WhelanAndrew Whelan

[email protected]@uow.edu.au19.201019.2010


2/25

OverviewOverview

What kind of stuff is the web made of, andWhat kind of stuff is the web made of, and

why care?why care?

Research traditions that inform webResearch traditions that inform web

analysisanalysis What are we looking AT, and what are weWhat are we looking AT, and what are we

looking FOR, when we analyse the web?looking FOR, when we analyse the web?

Performing online selves, conductingPerforming online selves, conducting

online researchonline research


3/25

Serious business:Serious business:

Among all the technological, politicalAmong all the technological, political

and economic infrastructures put inand economic infrastructures put inplace to install the new world orderplace to install the new world order

and economy, just one may beand economy, just one may be

mentioned as epitomizing the whole:mentioned as epitomizing the whole:

networked information technologynetworked information technology(Alan Liu,(Alan Liu, Laws of CoolLaws of Cool 2004: 6).2004: 6).


4/25

Teh interwebz is made of stuff !1!!Teh interwebz is made of stuff !1!!

Content/Discourse/Interaction etc.

Network(Software)

FLOSS/Microsoft, Adobe etc.

Hardware


5/25

Hardware What is it made of?What is it made of?

Where does itWhere does it

come from?come from?

Who makes it?Who makes it?

Where does it goWhere does it gowhen were donewhen were done

with it?with it?


6/25

e.g. a Dell laptop:e.g. a Dell laptop:

The components are sourced from variousThe components are sourced from variouscountries, which include: the chassiscountries, which include: the chassis(Taiwan); hard disk drive (Thailand); BIOS(Taiwan); hard disk drive (Thailand); BIOSchip (U.S.); floppy disk drive (China); ACchip (U.S.); floppy disk drive (China); ACadapter (China, but in the future,adapter (China, but in the future,Thailand); CD ROM (Japan); fax modemThailand); CD ROM (Japan); fax modemcards (U.S.); docking station (Taiwan);cards (U.S.); docking station (Taiwan);and the memory board (Korea, Japan, orand the memory board (Korea, Japan, or

Singapore).Singapore).

(http://cryptome.org/uscs092002.txt)(http://cryptome.org/uscs092002.txt)


7/25

e.g. Googleplex server farmse.g. Googleplex server farms

Project 02Project 02in The Dalles, Oregon.in The Dalles, Oregon.

SeeSee

http://www.harpers.org/media/slideshow/annot/http://www.harpers.org/media/slideshow/annot/

2008-03/index.html2008-03/index.html


8/25


9/25

Whos in, whos not?Whos in, whos not?

Global connectivity and the digital divide circa 2007Global connectivity and the digital divide circa 2007

(http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000639)(http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000639)


10/25

The digital divide is a continuum,The digital divide is a continuum,

rather than a binary with haves andrather than a binary with haves and

have-notshave-nots

Lack of access and poor accessLack of access and poor access

compound pre-existent inequalitiescompound pre-existent inequalities

(the analog divide)(the analog divide)

Access is marketised: e-inclusion isAccess is marketised: e-inclusion is

usually not the priorityusually not the priority


11/25

Free networks, open spectrum, &Free networks, open spectrum, &

net neutralitynet neutrality

E.g.:E.g.:

http://www.guifi.net/enhttp://www.guifi.net/en

http://www.coffswifi.net/http://www.coffswifi.net/

http://www.openspectrum.org.au/http://www.openspectrum.org.au/


12/25

Interwebz is not freeInterwebz is not free

Access is a socialAccess is a socialequity issue, but itequity issue, but itis also a freeis also a freespeech issuespeech issue

The internet is notThe internet is notreallyreallyfree eitherfree either

in the sense ofin the sense offree beer, or infree beer, or inthe sense of freethe sense of freespeechspeech


13/25

Why care? The point is Why care? The point is


14/25

Front end : where the action isFront end : where the action is

Most web analysisMost web analysis

focuses on content /focuses on content /

discourse / interaction,discourse / interaction,

not on the infrastructurenot on the infrastructure

enabling it. Why mightenabling it. Why mightthat be?that be?

Content/Discourse/

Interaction etc.


15/25

Theres no there there, BUT:Theres no there there, BUT:

Interwebz functions as new space forInterwebz functions as new space for

Social life and the organisation ofSocial life and the organisation ofsocial lifesocial life

The elaboration and performance ofThe elaboration and performance ofsocial identitysocial identity

The production and distribution ofThe production and distribution ofcultureculture

Hence Hence


16/25

(a few) Research traditions that(a few) Research traditions that

inform web analysisinform web analysis

Social organisation and the structureSocial organisation and the structure

of social groups:of social groups:

Social network analysis, networkSocial network analysis, network

mapping, online social networks, themapping, online social networks, the

virtual community debatevirtual community debate

e.g. Barry Wellman, danah boyd,e.g. Barry Wellman, danah boyd,

Howard RheingoldHoward Rheingold


17/25

More research traditions that informMore research traditions that inform

web analysisweb analysis

Social identity, psychology and socialSocial identity, psychology and social

psychology in virtual spacespsychology in virtual spaces

Virtual identity as therapy, impact ofVirtual identity as therapy, impact of

virtual on real selvesvirtual on real selves

e.g. Sherry Turkle, Yair Amichai-e.g. Sherry Turkle, Yair Amichai-HamburgerHamburger


18/25

still more research traditions thatstill more research traditions that

inform web analysisinform web analysis

Computer mediated communication:Computer mediated communication:

Language use, sociolinguistics, and theLanguage use, sociolinguistics, and the

structure of online social interactionstructure of online social interaction

e.g. Susan Herringe.g. Susan Herring

TLDR LOL N00B l337 PWNED etc.:TLDR LOL N00B l337 PWNED etc.:

we're in your media trollin for lulz we're in your media trollin for lulz


19/25

cyberculturecyberculture

Virtual anthropology, cyberVirtual anthropology, cyber

ethnography etc.ethnography etc.

e.g. Christine Hine, Steve Jones,e.g. Christine Hine, Steve Jones,

Nancy Baym, Lori KendallNancy Baym, Lori Kendall


20/25

Googleable? What kind of onlineGoogleable? What kind of online

presence do these people have?presence do these people have?

Barry WellmanBarry Wellman danah boyddanah boyd Howard RheingoldHoward Rheingold

Sherry TurkleSherry Turkle Yair Amichai-HamburgerYair Amichai-Hamburger Susan HerringSusan Herring Christine HineChristine Hine Steve JonesSteve Jones Nancy BaymNancy Baym Lori KendallLori Kendall

Are they easy to find?Are they easy to find?

What are they on about?What are they on about?

Do they have more than one site?Do they have more than one site?

Do they look good online?Do they look good online?(professional, approachable,(professional, approachable,interesting etc.)interesting etc.)

Are their virtual presences static?Are their virtual presences static?

Are they institutional?Are they institutional?

Do they link to others?Do they link to others?

How do their online presencesHow do their online presencesposition you, the user?position you, the user?


21/25

Why ask these questions?Why ask these questions?

Interwebz is not just a social space,Interwebz is not just a social space,

as such its also a space beingas such its also a space being

researchedresearched

We need to know how to look onlineWe need to know how to look online

(how to look at, and how to(how to look at, and how to bebelooked at how to be effective inlooked at how to be effective in

response to the looks of others)response to the looks of others)


22/25

The abyss gazes alsoThe abyss gazes also

Just as computer-mediated communicationJust as computer-mediated communicationinfluences offline social life, so it influencesinfluences offline social life, so it influencessocial research and how its conducted.social research and how its conducted.

If it influences social research, itIf it influences social research, itinfluences undergraduate education influences undergraduate education where were at.where were at.

Hence Hence

h k t th d dcheck o t the ndergrad


23/25

check out the undergradcheck out the undergrad

cyberculture course sites you cancyberculture course sites you can

find through these links:find through these links:RCCS: http://rccs.usfca.edu/RCCS: http://rccs.usfca.edu/

VoS: http://vos.ucsb.edu/index.aspVoS: http://vos.ucsb.edu/index.asp

What seems to be being taught elsewhere?What seems to be being taught elsewhere?

Which set of links is better/more interesting? WhichWhich set of links is better/more interesting? Whichof the above sites is doing better?of the above sites is doing better?


24/25

A few things to bear in mind:A few things to bear in mind:

Interwebz:Interwebz: is changing nature of research in the humanitiesis changing nature of research in the humanities is changing the distribution of knowledge sois changing the distribution of knowledge so

producedproduced

Online research isOnline research is cheap:cheap: research takes place inresearch takes place ina social contexta social context

WeWe can intervene in thesecan intervene in theseprocesses: we are teh interwebzprocesses: we are teh interwebz


25/25

Sorts of questions it might be useful to think about for yourSorts of questions it might be useful to think about for your

reflective piece:reflective piece:

what is teh interwebz made of? Whatwhat is teh interwebz made of? What

kind of interventions are being madekind of interventions are being made

in relation to it?in relation to it?

How do we look online, and whatHow do we look online, and what

might it be good to look like?might it be good to look like?

What are YOU interested in lookingWhat are YOU interested in looking

atatabout/in online environments?about/in online environments?

digc101 week 3 - dr andrew whelan - analysing the web

Documents