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Text analysis of blog posts and comment threads: discourse analysis vs. conversation analysis
by gus andrews 09 Jul '10

09 Jul '10

Alex, I'm the one whose post about conversation analysis and online texts you found from two years ago :) My dissertation is now in the final stages of revision; I successfully defended earlier this year. A relatively final draft can be found online at http://www.studyplace.org/wiki/User:Gusandrews/SearchProject/1208chapters . My dissertation's findings actually suggested a revision to some fundamental assumptions about CA; namely, Sacks et al.'s "speaker-selects-next" mechanism for orderly turn-taking. Rather, because there is so little pressure to respond online, the mechanism seems to be speaker-selects-previous. Harrison, Marcoccia, and Ornberg came to similar conclusions (see my bibliography, http://www.studyplace.org/wiki/User:Gusandrews/SearchProject/1208chapters#9… ) I posit that this may be the case in face to face communication as well. (I should note that I am working in anthropology at a school of education, with an eclectic committee, and I may be unaware of other similar claims made elsewhere in conversation analysis, so if I'm stating something which has already been determined it's out of my limited knowledge.) I think Natalya said it well -- what you hope to accomplish should determine which methodology you use. CA is useful if you're doing anything which involves turn-taking, sense-making, and maintaining order. It was of some use with my blog comment threads; it would also be useful in chat, threaded email, or possibly even @responses in Twitter. It couldn't explain everything I was seeing, though, so I dropped back to rely on some other, more rudimentary linguistic tools. I talked a lot about the phatic and indexical functions of language. If you're not looking at how people talk *with* each other or at sequential responses, CA is going to be not so fruitful. Discourse analysis, as I understand it, serves better for understanding cultural context. Regards, Gillian "Gus" Andrews

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Re: [Air-L] Blizzard Forums will soon display real name
by David Jones 09 Jul '10

09 Jul '10

I can't help but wonder how much this move is tied to Blizzard's recent announcement that they are going to integrate Battle.net 2.0 with Facebook. My understanding is that the integration begins later this month with the beta testing for Starcraft 2. I have not found or read anything concerning the details of the deal that Blizzard and Facebook struck, but it would seem to me that a couple of things are apparent if these two services come together. 1) Facebook, by default, makes their participants' data public. If part of the idea is to integrate Friends Lists and social networks across both platforms, making Battle.net IDs public would seem to be a major part of such a move. 2) Facebook would most likely want access to Battle.net participants' data in order to monetize it, as they do with their own participants. I've grown more and more concerned about the power of companies like Facebook or Blizzard to dictate what constitutes "identitity" and how people manage their online personas. Mark Zuckerberg has used the rhetoric of "openness" and "integrity" to push Facebook's default stance of making their participants' data public. There are all sorts of scary questions about a company like Facebook deciding it has the right -- even the ethical obligation -- to determine what constitutes an online identity. For Blizzard, this seems to be expecially tricky considering their social networks are predicated upon fantasy spaces, like WoW or Starcraft. Part of the gaming experience is character creation, which includes a substantial amount of fiction that operates within the cultural contexts that attend fantasy role-playing. Thus, identities are an admixture of "the real" with fiction, and it is often impossible to really discern where the player ends and the avatar begins. Or, in many cases, some players feel their online avatars are better representations of themselves than anything they could muster in the brick and mortar world. Aspects of the fantasy role-play allow for identity exploration, and online spaces have always been far more accomodating of this kind of exploration. I doubt Blizzard will see major repercussions financially from this move, but I also doubt they understand some of the damage they might inflict upon their communities. What's worse, I'm increasingly afraid they may not care because any loss in paid subscriptions might be more than offset by potentially monetizing Battle.net participants' data -- which I highly suspect will happen, at least eventually. -- Dave Jones PhD Student Professional Writing and New Media Old Dominion University Vice Chair, SIGDOC ODU djone111(a)odu.edu

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CRC Tier II Feminist Media Studies, Concordia
by lshade＠alcor.concordia.ca 08 Jul '10

08 Jul '10

For PDF version of ad, see http://coms.concordia.ca/crc-2010-feminist-media-studies.html Canada Research Chair in Feminist Media Studies Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University Concordia Universitys Faculty of Arts and Science is one of the largest and most dynamic academic faculties in Canada. Home to 27 departments, schools and colleges, the Faculty is leading Montreals Concordia University to the forefront of research and graduate education in Quebec and Canada. The Faculty is recognized for innovative research in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The Department of Communication Studies invites applications for a Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Feminist Media Studies. This position is directly linked to priority areas in Concordia Universitys Strategic Research Plan (2008-12): http://oor.concordia.ca/formsandreferencedocuments/strategicresearchplan/ For this high profile position, we seek a dynamic and visionary researcher who will engage in cutting-edge scholarship and/or research-creation. In addition to a promising record of achievement within the broad domain of feminist media studies, candidates of interest will have embarked upon a substantial long-term research agenda. The ideal candidate will mobilize established strengths in our Department and the University, and be well positioned to actively participate in local, national and international feminist research networks. The goal of the CRC program is to ensure that Canadian universities achieve the highest levels of research excellence to become world-class research centres in the global, knowledge-based economy. Concordia Universitys academic culture celebrates research, creativity, and the transfer of knowledge in many ways that are ideal for todays innovation driven society. The strategic deployment of CRCs is an integral part of Concordias overall plan to promote and develop its research enterprise. (Please refer to the CRC website for detailed information about the program: http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/) In order to successfully compete for a CRC award candidates are expected to have an outstanding and innovative research program, and the ability to attract excellent graduate students. Tier II CRCs will be exceptional emerging researchers who at an early phase of their careers (i.e., within 10 years of completing their PhD), have demonstrated the promise of a strong research profile and the potential to be leaders in their field. Tier II CRCs are awarded for five years and are renewable once. These positions offer an attractive salary, an annual research stipend, reduced teaching loads, and the opportunity to apply for start-up infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF). The successful candidate for the CRC position in Feminist Media Studies will, in the first instance, be offered an unconditional tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, as appropriate. The candidate will be required to work with the Department and the Faculty to prepare the formal CRC nomination according to the CRC program guidelines. The University will submit the nomination to the CRC Secretariat at the earliest opportunity. Founded in 1965, the Department of Communication Studies at Concordia University is Canadas oldest degree-granting department in the discipline. The Department offers programs leading to the BA, Graduate Diploma, MA, and PhD degrees. The undergraduate degree in Communication Studies is highly regarded for its integration of media production and critical theoretical perspectives. We are the only institution in Canada to offer an undergraduate program in Communication and Cultural Studies, and a graduate diploma in Communication. Our MA in Media Studies is unique in its structure and focus, and our bilingual, inter-university PhD program offers access to a wide range of resources and expertise. In keeping with Concordia's mission, the Department fosters inclusivity in its research, curriculum, and teaching practices, and is committed to serving the needs of a diverse student population. Montreal, where both Concordia campuses are located, is a world-class city of over 3 million people, offering a rich and diverse cultural life, and the intellectual stimulation of four major universities. In addition, the city is a major site of innovation and excellence in emerging digital media technologies, with significant government and private industry support. Candidates are encouraged to visit our departmental website for additional information concerning our programs and priorities: http://coms.concordia.ca/ Complete applications will consist of a cover letter, a current curriculum vitae, copies of recent publications, a statement of research achievements with a detailed five-year research plan (appropriate to the goals and objectives of the CRC program), a statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and the names and email addresses of three referees. Candidates who have not completed all requirements for a PhD will not be considered. Applications should be sent to: Prof. Rae Staseson, Chair Department of Communication Studies Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8 This tenure-track position, linked to the CRC appointment, will begin July 1, 2011. The University will nominate the successful candidate to the CRC Secretariat at the earliest opportunity according to the guidelines of the CRC program. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. All applications should reach the department no later than October 8, 2010. No electronic applications will be accepted. All inquiries about the position should be directed to Professor Staseson (Rae.Staseson(a)concordia.ca) Canadian and international applicants are encouraged to apply. Concordia University is committed to employment equity.

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Re: [Air-L] Twitter Research
by chashraf＠ucla.edu 08 Jul '10

08 Jul '10

Hi Andrew, Are you aware of http://140kit.com/ that was recently posted to the group? I haven't looked at it in depth but it may be interesting for you. I'm a Green Movement activist (and soon to be Ph.D. student this fall studying the Green Movement's use of ICT from the perspective of political geography) and have worked directly with the Movement's IT decision-makers and implementers inside and outside of Iran. I spoke at Harvard's Berkman Center about the Green Movement recently and discussed Twitter a bit there ( http://bit.ly/5u15Fg ). I know many of the "top tweeters" for #iranelection on Twitter personally as fellow activists and am in contact with some of them daily. If I can be of any help with your research please let me know. Best of luck with your research! Cameran Quoting Andrew Tonge <andrewtonge(a)mac.com>: > Hi everyone, > > I'm trying to do some research regarding the use of twitter in last > year's iranian elections, trying to take into account the media > hype(?) at the time and the current re-examination a year on. > > Does anyone have any advice on ways to get old tweets? > > I know the library of congress in now archiving them but I'm unable > to find any way to access this, currently i'm using a google search > (#iranelection site:twitter.com) with a specific date range to > produce some data. > > Furthermore, i'm trying to narrow down a methodological approach to > deal with the data, i've been looking at Kozinets netnographic > methods but i'm not sure how suitable they are to this kind of > research. > > If anyone has any advice on this, it too would be greatly appreciated! > > Thanks > > Andrew Tonge (ICT4D MSc student at Manchester UK) > _______________________________________________ > The Air-L(a)listserv.aoir.org mailing list > is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org > Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: > http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org > > Join the Association of Internet Researchers: > http://www.aoir.org/ >

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Re: [Air-L] Twitter Research
by gaby david 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

hello, Cf. Web Ecology Project, site where you can find a complete report of the first 18 days , “The Iranian Election on Twitter : the first eighteen days”, 26 juin 2009, http://webecologyproject.org/ [↩] gaby david PhD candidate - Lhivic- EHESS http://culturevisuelle.org/

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Blizzard Forums will soon display real name
by live 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

For those who are researching interactions within gaming environment, or even just internet social anonymity or gender anonymity, this is a big deal. http://kotaku.com/5580585/blizzard-forums-will-soon-display-your-real-name Privacy issues arise, as do gender interaction issues. Would you let in a female player in to your guild in WoW? What if they were a 'female' playing with a male avatar? What about a 'male' name playing with a female avatar? These games are built on guilds and social formations - what impact might this new change have? I must curtail my thoughts and come back later to explore this, but I thought I'd share the Kotaku post. -SharonG

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Twitter Research
by Andrew Tonge 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

Hi everyone, I'm trying to do some research regarding the use of twitter in last year's iranian elections, trying to take into account the media hype(?) at the time and the current re-examination a year on. Does anyone have any advice on ways to get old tweets? I know the library of congress in now archiving them but I'm unable to find any way to access this, currently i'm using a google search (#iranelection site:twitter.com) with a specific date range to produce some data. Furthermore, i'm trying to narrow down a methodological approach to deal with the data, i've been looking at Kozinets netnographic methods but i'm not sure how suitable they are to this kind of research. If anyone has any advice on this, it too would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Andrew Tonge (ICT4D MSc student at Manchester UK)

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Fwd: [IAMCR] CfP: Online Reporting of Elections - Journalism Practice Special Issue
by jeremy hunsinger 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

Begin forwarded message: > From: Einar Thorsen <ethorsen(a)bournemouth.ac.uk> > Date: July 7, 2010 10:23:42 AM EDT > To: "ecrea(a)listserv.vub.ac.be" <ecrea(a)listserv.vub.ac.be>, "announcements(a)iamcr.org" <announcements(a)iamcr.org> > Subject: [IAMCR] CfP: Online Reporting of Elections - Journalism Practice Special Issue > > ONLINE REPORTING OF ELECTIONS > > JOURNALISM PRACTICE - SPECIAL ISSUE CALL FOR PAPERS > > Guest editor: Einar Thorsen > > Elections represent a great spectacle of journalism and are therefore ideally suited to reflect upon the current and future state of journalism practice in relation to online political news and communication. > > Online news reporting in its various guises is now an essential part of online political journalism. Recent examples range from political blogging and Youtube debates during the 2008 US presidential election, through the use of Twitter to report and mobilise civic uprising in the aftermath of the 2009 Iranian and Moldovan elections, to the normalising of online news during the 2010 UK general election. > > Newspapers and broadcasters now invest heavily in election micro-websites. Journalists increasingly use Twitter and Facebook for breaking news or unconfirmed rumours, and also as a valuable source of ‘public sentiment’ and insight into the political process. Ordinary citizens, for their part, use social media to hold politicians and mainstream media to account. > > This special edition of Journalism Practice will be an opportunity to discuss the role of online news reporting during national elections and referendums. It will provide a forum for both practitioners and academics to discuss emerging and established forms and practices of online journalism. > Comparative research is of particular interest to this special edition – either different national contexts, or different news practices within the same national context. > > Suggested areas of focus include, but are not limited to: > • How does online election reporting compare across different national contexts? > • Has online journalism lived up to expectations during elections? > • How has the Internet changed the working practices of political journalists? > • How does online reporting of elections compare to print and broadcasting? > • What role have citizen journalists had in the media landscape during elections? > • How have Twitter and Facebook influenced the way journalists connect with audiences? > • How do journalists use social media, blogs and UGC as election news sources? > • What are the strengths and limitations of live blogging? > • How have the features of online news impacted on election campaigns? > • How have news organisations facilitated online public debates and comment? > • How has online journalism helped inform electorates? > > Prospective authors should email abstracts of 500 words to Einar Thorsen (ethorsen(a)bournemouth.ac.uk) Papers will then be invited and subject to peer review. > • Deadline for submission of abstracts: 10 September 2010 > • Deadline for submission of articles for review: 1 December 2010 > • Final revised papers due: 31 March 2011 (following peer review) > • Publication: end of 2011/early 2012 > > If you have any questions or want to discuss an idea for the special issue, please do not hesitate to get in touch. > > PDF version of CfP available on Routledge website: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/cfp/rjopcfp1.pdf > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > Dr. Einar Thorsen | Lecturer in Journalism and Communication > > E-mail: ethorsen(a)bournemouth.ac.uk > Twitter: http://twitter.com/einarthorsen > Phone: +44 (0)1202 965749 > > Editor of Three-D, official newsletter of MeCCSA: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/newsletter > > Co-Editor (with Stuart Allan) of Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives: http://citizenjournalism.me/ > > Personal blog and list of publications: http://multimediajournalism.info/ > > Centre for Journalism and Communication Research: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/imcr/cjcr/ > > Address: The Media School, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK > > > > BU - the UK's Number One New University > The Guardian University Guide 2009 & 2010 > > This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete this email, which must not be copied, distributed or disclosed to any other person. exe > Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Bournemouth University or its subsidiary companies. Nor can any contract be formed on behalf of the University or its subsidiary companies via email. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > International Association for Media and Communication Research - http://iamcr.org > Announcements mailing list > > Join IAMCR | http://iamcr.org/about-iamcr/membership/join-iamcr-mainmenu-237 > > Follow IAMCR's updates on Twitter | http://twitter.com/IAMCRtweets > Visit IAMCR's Facebook Page | http://www.facebook.com/iamcr.org Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture Virginia Tech Information Ethics Fellow Center for Information Policy Research Computers are useless. They can only give you answers. --Pablo Picasso

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AUTO: Crow, Barbara is out of the office. (returning 07/20/2010)
by Barbara Crow 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

I am out of the office until 07/20/2010. I am away on vacation and will only have intermittent access to email from July 2 - 19. If you require any assistance from my office, please contact Lorraine Myrie, lmyrie(a)yorku.ca, at ext. 22464 and she will be happy to assist. Thanks, Barbara Note: This is an automated response to your message "Air-L Digest, Vol 72, Issue 2" sent on 7/2/2010 6:00:24 PM. This is the only notification you will receive while this person is away.

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Project Managers, Coders and Transcriptionists for Hire - QDAP UMass and QDAP-Pitt
by Stuart Shulman 07 Jul '10

07 Jul '10

QDAP UMass (http://www.umass.edu/qdap/) entering its second year, and the original QDAP-Pitt (http://www.qdap.pitt.edu/) entering its sixth year, offer project support, transcription and coders for medium and large-scale qualitative research projects. We specialize in topic discovery, codebook development, multi-coder team management, and the measurement of reliability and validity in coding. Our services have been provided to projects funded by NIH, NIMH, NSF and DARPA. If you are planning a grant submission, or starting a funded project, you can schedule an appointment to learn about QDAP methods, tools and services. thanks, ~Stu -- Dr. Stuart W. Shulman Assistant Professor Department of Political Science University of Massachusetts Amherst 200 Hicks Way Amherst, MA 01003 http://people.umass.edu/stu/ stu(a)polsci.umass.edu 413-545-5375 Editor, Journal of Information Technology and Politics http://www.jitp.net Director, QDAP-UMass http://www.umass.edu/qdap/ Associate Director, National Center for Digital Government http://www.umass.edu/digitalcenter/

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