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new vs old activism
by Kevin Sherman 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

Can anyone direct me to significant literature regarding what constitutes old political activism vs new activism--particularly insofar as its organisation, structure and implementation is concerned? Of interest is how (and whether) the Internet plays a role in what some are calling a new (global?) activism. Alternatively, if you think there's nothing particularly new about activism, I'd be interested in that as well... I realise this is a fairly broad question, but your responses needn't be similarly expansive--just a quick thought here or there would be greatly appreciated! Kevin Sherman PhD Candidate Centre for Communication Research Auckland University of Technology

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Re: [Air-l] new vs old activism
by J Patrick Biddix 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

My dissertation research focused on the nature of college activism related to Internet Communication Technology (ICT). I've posted most of my current research online and have a few papers under review: www.jpatrickbiddix.net/estudentprotest.html Briefly from my abstract: This study found that todays student protests begin electronically well before the real life action takes place. The capabilities afforded by electronically-enhanced tactics allow students to rapidly and effectively plan, coordinate, mobilize, and execute actions. Perhaps most notably, the Internet and cell phones also allow students to extensively share tactics and assistance before, during, and after a significant action. Additional unique findings of this study concern the role of non-campus organizations in student protests, the use of email to strategize and supplement meetings, and student reliance on technological immediacy. Definitely interested in what you find out through this query. J Patrick Biddix, Ph.D. www.jpatrickbiddix.net --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Sponsored Link Get an Online or Campus degree - Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's -in less than one year.

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everything old is new again
by Barry Wellman 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

I've profited by the discussion about online petitions and "new" activism. But as a guy who got politically active in the late 1950s, I wryly offer the following. "New activism" is what "we" are doing now. "Old activism" is that "they" did a while ago. Speaking of which, whatever happened to "Move On" and "Meet Up"? They were highly touted organizing affordances of the Dean campaign in the US just 2-3 years ago. And Dean is chair of the Democratic party in the US. Barry Wellman _____________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology NetLab Director Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 wellman at chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman for fun: http://chass.utoronto.ca/oldnew/cybertimes.php _____________________________________________________________________

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Petition Tony Blair, online that is
by Stephen Coleman 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

I don't share Wainer Lusoli's apparent delight at the arrival of the Ten Downing Street e-petitions tool. From a political perspective, one might ask why citizens are being urged to petition the Prime Minister, when the UK's system of government is not presidential, but parliamentary. More significantly, this technology has been built so that people are only allowed to sign petitions, but not discuss them. Unlike the Scottish Parliament's e-petitions, public deliberation is prohibited. This leads to a narrow notion of democracy without discussion in which petitions can claim neither representative nor deliberative legitimacy. >From the perspective of internet research, this is an interesting illustration of how political design can undermine technical potential. Contrast this with the great tradition of political petitioning that has existed in Britain since the late thirteenth century. The Chartists of the mid-nineteenth-century did not make a political impact by collecting signatures, but by holding mass meetings to discuss the cause of their petition. Imagine iif the Chartists - or the disarmament movement of the 1960s - had been allowed only to plead with the Prime Minister rather than assemble, deliberate and develop their own convictions. Citizens sending petitions via this new e-tool should be encouraged to subvert its intended restrictive use by setting up an alternative web space in which propositions can be openly discussed and revised. Stephen Coleman, Professor of Political Communication, Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds

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Webcasting Worldwide book now available
by Louisa Shu Ying Ha 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

"Webcasting Worldwide: Business Models of an Emerging Global Medium," edited by Louisa Ha, Associate Professor in the Department of Telecommunications, School of Communication Studies, is now available. The book is published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. As the product of a 17-country/region collaborative research project of 26 scholars based on Ha and Ganahl's (2004) Accessibility-Content-Revenue Framework for emerging media analysis, it tackles one of the most timely topics in mass communication todaythe delivery of audio and video content via the Web, or webcasting - employing a global perspective to explore the subject of media business models. The book consists of 20 chapters with an accompanying CD-ROM filled with research resources. It provides a theoretical framework by which to analyze business models of emerging media, and it also examines the business practices of leading webcasters in the worlds most developed broadband markets. With webcasting in its early development and the rapid development of broadband penetration around the world, the approaches discussed in this volume set the standards for the webcasting industry and other emerging media. Representing the major broadband markets in the world, this text is an authoritative and valuable reference for both researchers and practitioners. The chapters relate the business practices of webcasting to the media market environment and established media industries, such as television and radio, as well as government and non-profit organizations. It discuss implications of webcastiing use in commercial and non-profit organizational settings and potential effects of the medium on future development of media industry land the society at large The International Webcasting Association President, David Gardy, endorsed and adopted the book for its members, saying that "(The book) will become the de facto bible on worldwide webcasting (it is so comprehensive!)...Through their tireless efforts in producing this manuscript, (the editors) have made a significant contribution in facilitating mainstream understanding of burgeoning webcasting sector and the promise it holds. It couldn't have come at a better time." John V. Pavlik, professor and chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and faculty associate at the Columbia University's Institute for Tele-Information (CITI), wrote, "Through their ground-breaking new book, Webcasting Worldwide, Louisa Ha and Richard J. Ganahl III have provided a thoughtful and thorough examination of the business models taking shape in the online delivery of media. Webcasting Worldwide offers the reader a rich diversity of viewpoints and experiences from North America to Europe, Asia to the Middle East. Detailed analysis of the broadband marketplace and how it is being financed around the globe is at the heart of this important book. Adding to the value of this useful text is the authors' blog, webcastingworldwide.blogspot.com. Anyone interested in either the major trends or latest developments in the world of broadband media will find Ha and Ganahl's Webcasting Worldwide required reading." More information about the book can be found at www.erlbaum.com/ha. Ha is the chair of the emerging media research cluster in the School of Communication Studies at BGSU. The cluster promotes interdisciplinary dialogue and research on the political, economic, cultural, social and technological aspects of emerging media. It serves to develop collaborative research projects with the community and present research on emerging media to the university at large. Its web page is http://scs.bgsu.edu/Research/ResearchClusters/emerging.php Louisa Ha, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Telecommunications School of Communication Studies 320 West Hall Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403 Tel: (419) 372-9103 Fax: (419) 372-0202

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Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is
by Ildiko Kaposi 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

>>> "Matthias Trenel" <matthias.trenel(a)gmail.com> 11/21/06 3:33 PM >>> On a further note, which explains my interest in this issue, I want point you to the e-petitioning system at the German Parliament, which Zebralog is currently evaluating: Public Petitions at the German Parliament: Zebralog evaluates pilot project http://www.zebralog.de/en/000195.html Matthias, Is this the pilot the Bundestag modelled on the e-petitioning system of the Scottish Parliament? Ildiko ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ildiko Kaposi <pphkai01(a)phd.ceu.hu> Date: Nov 18, 2006 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Stephen, I believe Wainer's 'delight' was ironic at best, even sarcastic - precisely because he senses political spin behind the initiative. The more I learn about it, the more it seems like the site is an exercise in electronic populism. I thought the idea of push-button/point-n-click panacea for democracy was passe, but your government appears to think otherwise. It is hard to make predictions, but if this is an empty exercise, devoid of deliberation or obligations for the PM to take the petitions into consideration, it will probably not be a lasting success with British citizens. Ildiko Kaposi ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stephen Coleman <S.Coleman(a)leeds.ac.uk> Date: Nov 18, 2006 10:33 AM Subject: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org I don't share Wainer Lusoli's apparent delight at the arrival of the Ten Downing Street e-petitions tool. From a political perspective, one might ask why citizens are being urged to petition the Prime Minister, when the UK's system of government is not presidential, but parliamentary. More significantly, this technology has been built so that people are only allowed to sign petitions, but not discuss them. Unlike the Scottish Parliament's e-petitions, public deliberation is prohibited. This leads to a narrow notion of democracy without discussion in which petitions can claim neither representative nor deliberative legitimacy. >From the perspective of internet research, this is an interesting illustration of how political design can undermine technical potential. Contrast this with the great tradition of political petitioning that has existed in Britain since the late thirteenth century. The Chartists of the mid-nineteenth-century did not make a political impact by collecting signatures, but by holding mass meetings to discuss the cause of their petition. Imagine iif the Chartists - or the disarmament movement of the 1960s - had been allowed only to plead with the Prime Minister rather than assemble, deliberate and develop their own convictions. Citizens sending petitions via this new e-tool should be encouraged to subvert its intended restrictive use by setting up an alternative web space in which propositions can be openly discussed and revised. Stephen Coleman, Professor of Political Communication, Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: W.Lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk <W.Lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk> Date: Nov 17, 2006 4:49 PM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Hi Ildico - thanks for this. well, a number of reasons really. First that the PM is a self-confessed technophobe; then because the Tories and Labour are waging an escalating war on who is reaching out more to the public using ICTs [Webcameron, Osborne, conservative blogs, Labour' new campaign space]; then because the website had 500 [500 !!] submissions in two days; then because it all looks soooo transparent, but is it; etcetera, etctera and etcetera once more. My eyes are now sore for the rubbing Cheers Wainer ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ildiko Kaposi <pphkai01(a)phd.ceu.hu> Date: Nov 17, 2006 3:31 PM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Wainer, What's the reason for your disbelief? I took only a cursory glance at the sight, so I'm not well-informed. First of all, I don't know what the online petitioning implies exactly, i.e. whether there are any obligatory consequences for the Right Hon. Blair or government policy. But online petitioning as such is practised elsewhere, and e-democracy has been something of a priority for the UK government, so this seems to fit the pattern. Am I misreading the initiative? Ildiko >>> "Wainer Lusoli" <w.lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk> 11/17/06 1:56 PM >>> http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ Still rubbing my eyes in disbelief Any thoughts, anyone? Wainer -------------------------------------------- Wainer Lusoli http://www.lusoli.info http://del.icio.us/lusoli http://www.i-pol.org -------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ 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/ _______________________________________________ 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/ _______________________________________________ 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] Myspace: social, oops, political networking
by Davidgbeer＠aol.com 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

On this issue i wonder if the article below might be of use (see particularly the fourth section on the challenges of social networking): _http://www.socresonline.org.uk/11/3/beer.html_ (http://www.socresonline.org.uk/11/3/beer.html) dave

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Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is
by Matthias Trenel 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

I have two remarks to this interesting debate - leaving aside the question of who is delighted (or not) for what reason ;-) @petitioning without deliberation Well, even when discussion spaces are missing, having something like public petitions online does make the current petitioning system more transparent and accessible - let's not forget to note that - which feeds well into new forms of more deliberative democracy as well because other deliberative arenas (e.g. media, or those alternative discussion spaces Stephen suggested) may pick up the petition issues and carry them into the public sphere, that in turn can exert "argumentative control" over the political administrative system (in a siege-like manner, to speak in Habermas' terms). However, the lack of discussion spaces on http://petitions.pm.gov.uk is a disappointment * given that it would be more convenient for citizens to discuss the petition issues on the same site (and they would probably want to be listened to in most direct ways), * given that state bodies need to transform themselves into more deliberative institutions as well to meet the challenges of democratic development * given that the e-petition-forerunner-system, http://www.e-petitioner.org.uk, has a discussion space, and * given that Matthew Taylor himself, the (or an?) outgoing No 10 Strategy adviser, has recently called for more deliberative spaces rather than more channels for citizens to express their demands: http://partnerships.typepad.com/civic/2006/11/the_challenge_f.html @consideration of ePetitions The flood of petitions (500+ in the first few days) may be viewed as a success. However, knowing how much ressources it takes to process petitions, it also undermines the credibility of the e-petitioning-system at No 10. It is beyond imagination that the No 10 administration can pay attention to an extra 500 petitions that stream into No10 every couple of days on top of the paper petitions even at the most rudimentary level. That is, they must have filters in place, such as number of signatures received or the like, which they need to make transparent to maintain credibility - and credibility is probably the most important ingredient for success in this realm. On a further note, which explains my interest in this issue, I want point you to the e-petitioning system at the German Parliament, which Zebralog is currently evaluating: Public Petitions at the German Parliament: Zebralog evaluates pilot project http://www.zebralog.de/en/000195.html Greetings, Matthias PS: I'm going to post this thread to do_consult (http://groups.dowire.org/groups/consult/index.xml) as well as people there should be interested in reading this -- Matthias Trenel Zebralog e.V. trenel(a)zebralog.de http://www.zebralog.de/en/ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ildiko Kaposi <pphkai01(a)phd.ceu.hu> Date: Nov 18, 2006 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Stephen, I believe Wainer's 'delight' was ironic at best, even sarcastic - precisely because he senses political spin behind the initiative. The more I learn about it, the more it seems like the site is an exercise in electronic populism. I thought the idea of push-button/point-n-click panacea for democracy was passe, but your government appears to think otherwise. It is hard to make predictions, but if this is an empty exercise, devoid of deliberation or obligations for the PM to take the petitions into consideration, it will probably not be a lasting success with British citizens. Ildiko Kaposi ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stephen Coleman <S.Coleman(a)leeds.ac.uk> Date: Nov 18, 2006 10:33 AM Subject: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org I don't share Wainer Lusoli's apparent delight at the arrival of the Ten Downing Street e-petitions tool. From a political perspective, one might ask why citizens are being urged to petition the Prime Minister, when the UK's system of government is not presidential, but parliamentary. More significantly, this technology has been built so that people are only allowed to sign petitions, but not discuss them. Unlike the Scottish Parliament's e-petitions, public deliberation is prohibited. This leads to a narrow notion of democracy without discussion in which petitions can claim neither representative nor deliberative legitimacy. >From the perspective of internet research, this is an interesting illustration of how political design can undermine technical potential. Contrast this with the great tradition of political petitioning that has existed in Britain since the late thirteenth century. The Chartists of the mid-nineteenth-century did not make a political impact by collecting signatures, but by holding mass meetings to discuss the cause of their petition. Imagine iif the Chartists - or the disarmament movement of the 1960s - had been allowed only to plead with the Prime Minister rather than assemble, deliberate and develop their own convictions. Citizens sending petitions via this new e-tool should be encouraged to subvert its intended restrictive use by setting up an alternative web space in which propositions can be openly discussed and revised. Stephen Coleman, Professor of Political Communication, Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: W.Lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk <W.Lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk> Date: Nov 17, 2006 4:49 PM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Hi Ildico - thanks for this. well, a number of reasons really. First that the PM is a self-confessed technophobe; then because the Tories and Labour are waging an escalating war on who is reaching out more to the public using ICTs [Webcameron, Osborne, conservative blogs, Labour' new campaign space]; then because the website had 500 [500 !!] submissions in two days; then because it all looks soooo transparent, but is it; etcetera, etctera and etcetera once more. My eyes are now sore for the rubbing Cheers Wainer ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ildiko Kaposi <pphkai01(a)phd.ceu.hu> Date: Nov 17, 2006 3:31 PM Subject: Re: [Air-l] Petition Tony Blair, online that is To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Wainer, What's the reason for your disbelief? I took only a cursory glance at the sight, so I'm not well-informed. First of all, I don't know what the online petitioning implies exactly, i.e. whether there are any obligatory consequences for the Right Hon. Blair or government policy. But online petitioning as such is practised elsewhere, and e-democracy has been something of a priority for the UK government, so this seems to fit the pattern. Am I misreading the initiative? Ildiko >>> "Wainer Lusoli" <w.lusoli(a)lse.ac.uk> 11/17/06 1:56 PM >>> http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ Still rubbing my eyes in disbelief Any thoughts, anyone? Wainer -------------------------------------------- Wainer Lusoli http://www.lusoli.info http://del.icio.us/lusoli http://www.i-pol.org -------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ 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/ _______________________________________________ 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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new vs old activism
by Maura Conway 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

Kevin, For an interesting and theoretically informed exploration of the whether there is a global civil society presently in existence, see John Keane's 'Global Civil Society? (Cambridge, 2003). On a more 'practical' note, I like Peter Hajnal's (Ed.), 'Civil Society in the Information Age' (Ashgate, 2002), which is basically composed of 'case studies' of the IT-use of NGOs such as Amnesty, Oxfam, and similar. I'd also suggest checking out the Blacwell's journal 'Global Networks: A Journal of Transnational Affairs,' which also publishes the kind of stuff you seem to be after. Best, Maura ---------------------------- Dr. Maura Conway Lecturer School of Law & Government Dublin City University Glasnevin Dublin 9 Ireland Tel. +353 1 700 6472 E-Mail. maura.conway(a)dcu.ie

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R: Re: new vs old activism
by vincenzobitti＠tin.it 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

si mi piace molto! Magistrale la frase: "l’ultima” pubblicazione di Simenon, la cui produzione sconfinata e l’edizione italiana centellinata danno l’impressione che lo scrittore riesca a fare letteratura anche da morto". Brava. Una bella recensione . Forse io avrei sottolineato solo l'immaginario colonialista che esce. Il rapporto sempre sullo sfondo di un mondo diverso e non compreso fino in fondo. Una certa concezione dell'esotico e della diversità un po' contraddittoria come possibilità di libertà ma anche come condanna. A un certo punto Mittel, mi ricordo, fa una specie di sfogo della sua volontà di essere "normale" e di essere condannato a una vita diversa che lui in fondo odia. Una specie di anti-Marlow. Marlow cerca il viaggio , lo intraprende fino in fondo alla ricerca di Kurtz. Poi entrambi i libri finiscono in maniera simile Kurtz che gridal "l'Orre, l'orrore", Mittel " Barranquilla, barranquilla" una specie di richiamo ironico a Conrad!?!? Va beh a prersto Baci!! Forse io avrei sottolineato solo l'immaginario colonialista che esce. Il rapporto sempre sullo sfondo di un mondo diverso e non compreso fino in fondo. Una certa concezione dell'esotico e della diversità un po' contraddittoria come possibilità di libertà ma anche come condanna. A un certo punto Mittel, mi ricordo, fa una specie di sfogo della sua volontà di essere "normale" e di essere condannato a una vita diversa che lui in fondo odia. Una specie di ant-Kurtz! >----Messaggio originale---- >Da: b.saunders(a)qut.edu.au >Data: 21-nov-2006 4.50 AM >A: <air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org> >Ogg: Re: [Air-l] new vs old activism > >also: FreeNRG: Notes from the Edge of the Dance Floor - Graham St John (ed.) >http://thehumanities.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.61/prod.2 > >and the classic primer: No Logo - Naomi Klein. > > > > > >On 11/21/06, Lisa Gye <lgye(a)groupwise.swin.edu.au> wrote: >> >> Meikle, Graham (2002) Future Active: Media Activism and the Internet, >> New York: Routledge. >> >> >> This is an excellent book >> >> >Barry Saunders >QUT sessional academic >http://creativeindustries.qut.com >http://d- notice.net >_______________________________________________ >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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