Group Project: Mapping Social Media and Citizen Movements Around the World
This project is intended to be a collaborative project involving the entire class. However, students will work in small groups (maximum of 4 and a minimum of 3 per group) and the results from each group will feed into a collective project that will actually feed into a real research project being developed as part of the CORD (Collaboration for Research on Democracy) international network.
The key objective of the class project is to exam how emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs), specifically digital social networks, are changing the dynamics of citizen-state relations, and how network-mediated knowledge and awareness creation catalyzes and drives activism and rights claiming. A central question is how does network-mediated knowledge relate to knowledge that is generated through other more conventional channels? But to answer the latter question, there is a need to first map out what is happening in different parts of the world with regard to how citizens have been using technology to claim rights and/or actively engage with policy makers and with other like-minded organizations. The data gather from the mapping excise will allow us to make comparison of different practices within the region and between regions around the world. With the data collected, we will be able to see if there are patterns or regularity that allow us to assess the adequacy or gaps in existing theoretical treatments (a number of which are covered in this course) of the role of network technology in knowledge production and social mobilization and what they mean for citizen and development in the Global South.
The exercise will be developed through several stages:
Stage 1:
1. Forming the group according to regional interest.
Each group will Identify and map [on a Google map] 3-4 different instances (1 case study per group member) in which citizens utilized technology to actively engage with policy makers, claim rights or demand social change. We have set up the key regions and students will form groups around the selected regions. It is strongly recommended that students pick the region with which they have some familiarity both in terms of language, culture and political context. Students must sign up to be a group member on this page by Oct. 5.
2. Data collection. (To be completed by Oct. 26)
Key data to collect include for each case:
- What form of technology was being used and how wide-spread was the usage and access to this particular form of technology?
- Which groups of citizens were involved in its usage and why?
- What is the particular political context of your area? Why do you feel this form of technology was utilized?
- How successful do you feel that citizens were in terms of making their voices heard and receiving positive change? What are the evidence?
Stage 2 (To be completed by Nov. 9)
Compare your individual case studies with other members of your group. What are the similarities and differences amongst case studies in your particular geographical area? What contribute to the differences and similarities and why do they occur?
During this stage, the group will begin to compile an annotated bibliography (with a minimum of 5 sources from each member) of relevant literature. (Instructions and guidelines will be provided)
Stage 3 (To be completed by Nov. 23)
Once all groups have posted their key findings on the wiki, each group should choose at least one other geographical area in which you can draw similarities and differences in the democratic usage of technology.
What are the key findings of that other group? Briefly compare the political contexts, technologies utilized and whether outcomes were successful or not.
Stage 4 (To be completed by Dec. 4)
A write up (collectively by group members) of a report summarizing the findings as well as assessing the appropriate theories and literature (from the bibliography compiled) for the data and observations collected by the group and from the comparative exercise.
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