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Details: Soc 419/519; M,T,Th,Fr 9:10-10:00; 102 Bentley Annex

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Intro

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“The intended effects of new technology are nothing compared to the unintended effects… the Internet is an accident. . . . Nobody planned it. If we had planned it, they wouldn’t have let us do it… if somebody had showed up in 1960 and said ‘this is what we’re going to do: it’s going to do everything and it’s going to put pornography in your daughter’s bedroom…’ it wouldn’t have been allowed. - William Gibson

Overview

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In recent years, social change has been driven by the intended and unintended effects of technologies that make it easier for people to “do things together”. Email made communication easier. Cell phones made coordination with friends easier. Web pages made distribution of materials easier. Blogs . . . . Wikis. . . . Social network sites. . . These technological innovations are inherently social. They are altering, and will alter, the lives of individuals, the dynamics of group, the fates of organizations, the development of cultures, and the course of history. This course studies social change by combining research on group processes with contemporary examples from around the world and the depths of ‘cyberspace’. This course provides a general framework, specific concepts, and a think tank for articulating new connections between social science and social change in contemporary life. We will place special emphasis on an international and cross cultural perspective, highlighting similarities and differences between North America and South-East Asia. Through their own digital media creations students will play an active role in the public, trans-national discussion of the nature and trajectory of these changes.

Using technology and media in Group Processes

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The basic premise for the course is to collect a set of computer mediated systems that will facilitate the collaborative work in the class.

  1. Google Account
    1. Everyone ought to have a google/gmail account to facilitate collaboration
  2. Skype: we will try Skype for our virtual class meetings.
  3. Etherpad-- ether pad is free and does not require an account, everyone will get an invite to our etherpad conversations, which will be live during class.
  4. Wikipedia stuff: the syllabus is editable and on Wikipedia.
    1. Create an editor account at Wikipedia.
      1. Learn how to edit basic stuff using the sandbox.
      2. Make edits to the course page as necessary.
  5. Youtube: if you are going to make a youtube video you will want an account
  6. Slideshare is one option for sharing slideshows, google docs has a version too.

Readings to get your hands on

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Everyone

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Grad students only

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Related, optional books

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http://www.cs.cornell.edu/home/kleinber/networks-book/ It will likely be a part of this course in the future.

Course work

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Students will select from a range of options for the various assignments. Ultimately final grades will be based on a digital portfolio of their contributions and creations in the course.

  1. In-class writings (participation): include contributions to the ether pad notes and chat, brief reflections to in class-prompts and even quizzes. This also includes brief informal assignments made in class and to be generated out of class. For instance the touchgraph assignment counts here, as do posts to the course blog.
  2. Abstracts: concise analytic summaries of course readings. These will be shared with all course members electronically via google documents. Each student will write one abstract during the first 4 weeks and their second during the second 4 weeks. Abstracts will consist of three basic parts:
    1. Thesis. A one paragraph statements that embodies the primary thesis of the reading, written clearly and succinctly in your own words.
    2. A list of key concepts, along with an explanation, page numbers and brief quotes.
    3. A brief series of comments, observations, connections, and critiques.
    4. Total length of a reading abstract should be no more than one page single spaced, fonts and formats like that in the template example. Length: 550-750 words. See example "Abstract Template" on google docs.
  3. Digital projects: are public presentation of course ideas and connections to current events. These can include youtube videos, blog posts, contributions to wikipedia entries, slideshare presentations or other digital objects that build from the themes of the course. For more information go to User:Htw3/Digital.projects.2009
  4. Digital portfolio: Is a collection of what you see as you most important contributions to the course, including any of the possible means of contribution ranging from chat comments to projects. To consist of a series of links and selections with brief commentaries. Due: Final Exam meeting period.
  5. Contributions the course Blog (both posts and comments) constitute source material for digital portfolios, as do comments on etherpad, google docs, and other writing. http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/
  • Graduate students:

In addition to their digital portfolio, two abstracts, and two digital projects (one group, one individual) graduate students will complete one of two graduate student options.

  1. Pre-masters thesis option: an array of 3 brief (2 page single space each) project proposals. Project proposals should build from themes, cases, or issues related to the course that , if completed, would constitute an appropriate masters thesis for the students discipline. This option is for students who have not yet written their masters thesis proposal and/or submitted their IRB approval forms. Throughout the quarter graduate students taking the pre-thesis option will float project ideas in class and use that feedback to modify and improve their list of projects. Project proposals are due during week 10 and will be discussed on a day devoted to project proposals.
  1. Masters thesis and beyond option: paper review and revision. Students at this level are understood to be engaged in their own research agenda. After discussion with the professor each post-thesis student will submit a draft of one of their current research projects for review by the all of the students enrolled in the post-thesis option as well as the instructor (due week 6). Reviewers will produce reviews of each submitted paper due week 7. Authors will submit a revised draft to me by the end of the course.

Substantive cases

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The substantive cases that we could discuss are too numerous to list. However there are many types for us to consider:

  1. Institutions, markets, and industries
  2. Organizations, firms, groups and communities
    1. Various face to face, or primarily face to face examples that are changing because of new technology and the social interaction made possible by that technology.
    2. Online systems and communities: digg, wikipedia, facebook, icanhascheeseburger, WoW, xbox live, teh blogosphere, twitter, youtube, flickr, mashups, yahoo answers, the pirate bay, amazon, google, fark, 4chan, the online citizen, reddit, web forums, skype, iphone apps, craigslist, freecycle, . . . . . . . .
  3. Values and norms
  4. Culture and subcultures

Learning objectives

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The focus of this class is on bridging between theories of group processes and applications to actual groups. Our readings and discussion materials draw correspondingly from three areas, and students should be able to:

  1. Understand and explain middle range sociological theories in the areas of group processes: including theories related to status systems, status characteristics, power and dependence and social exchange; methods and theories related to social networks; basic models of collective action; and standard social psychological theories related to identity, the self and social roles.
  2. Understand and describe standard methods of research that are commonly used in the development of the theories listed above.
  3. Discuss and apply insights from theories and methods above to cases of empirical research to examples of change in contemporary social groups.

Contact

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Course Schedule

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The course has 5 sections:

  1. Weeks 1,2: Introduction to the course.
  2. Weeks 3,4: Networks and social structure.
  3. Weeks 5,6: Collective action
  4. Weeks 7,8: Status, Identity and Roles
  5. Weeks 9, 10, Finals: Student generated content


WEEK 1: Emergent social change and the digital age [Sep. 8]

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Overview: Week one is the overview and introductory week. Shirky's book provides a pretty good example of the sorts of connections we will be making, and his later chapters concentrate on some of the topics central to particular weeks of the course. For all practical purposes, everyone ought to read the entire Shirky book before we even meet. Then, later in the quarter we can return to particular ideas/chapters are they relate to the topic of the week.

    1. Overview for the course: we have three general tasks
      1. Understand that social change is an emergent process. Group processes (as I understand it) is focused on understanding how collective outcomes result from the actions and interaction of people in social contexts. Thus constraints and opportunities of the context or situation combine with attributes and actions of individuals and the structure of their interaction to result in collective outcomes. In this sense, outcomes, like the extent that a meme spreads, or the level of contribution to collective goods in a particular group, are emergent outcomes of people doing things together. Looking for evidence of emergent outcomes, and testing models of processes that can account for patterns in emergent outcomes are a major focus of this course. Collective outcomes can vary in scale from the quality of conversation in a given course meeting, to the global diffusion of cell phones or 'mobiles'. Research, because it has to have DATA, tends to study small to medium collective outcomes, while our discussions will range across the full scale.
      2. Survey the most relevant theories, processes, institutions, structures for understanding social change. This task will take us on a tour of major areas of research across several disciplines in order to understand parts of social systems in ways that help us understand, explain and predict social change at a variety of scales. Our aim will be to build a toolbox of concepts that we can apply to concrete social situations and situations in order to better understand the dynamics of that example.
      3. Make new connections between the components of social change and contemporary examples. This is the especially creative aspect of the course. All members of the class are required to identify, discuss and explain examples drawn from social situations in contemporary life. Emphasis will be placed on examples that could become potential research topics and those that are interesting and important, but unlikely to be tested or answered through actual research.


Schedule:

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  1. Tuesday: Introduce the big picture: today we will look at the syllabus, watch some video clips, discuss the general goals for the course, introduce theme for the week and for the course.
    1. 3 Discuss the three organizing tasks, described above
    2. Watch and talk about the examples.
      1. The machine is using us. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE
        1. This video neatly introduces many of the interesting changes that are sure to have profound social implications. It became incredibly popular and has likely shifted many peoples thoughts on the 'bottom up' nature of online interaction systems.
      2. Anthropological introduction to youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU&feature=fvw
        1. the first 1/3 of this seems most interesting and generally relevant to our course. The remainder is good too, but is more narrowly focused on YouTube.
      3. Social media: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVXKI506w-E
      4. International comparisons
        1. Internet use, cultural barriers to interaction' http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/archive/2706/27062201.jpg
    3. Course tasks:
      1. Look at schedule of readings for next 2 weeks
      2. Adjust meeting days?
      3. Introduce technical tools
        1. Skype
        2. Etherpad
        3. Slideshare
        4. Connected Action Blog
        5. Wikipedia
  2. Thursday: Discuss Shirky's book.
    1. "Here comes everybody" Chapter 1 and beyond.
      1. Thesis:
      2. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      3. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Link to set of talks by Shirky on his book ideas: http://fora.tv/2008/07/06/Clay_Shirky_Here_Comes_Everybody_1_of_4
    3. Today we discussed examples from Shirky's book. We built an etherpad conversation: http://etherpad.com/f27DVfnyBd
      1. For each example we documented several dimensions:
        1. The key technological change(s)
        2. The social mechanism(s)
        3. The social outcomes(s)
        4. Key contextual factors
    4. Blog posts related to this discussion
      1. Jarrid wrote: http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/2009/09/etherpad-meetupcom-example-class-notes.html
      2. Michelle wrote: http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/2009/09/here-comes-eveeybody-airline-example.html
  3. Friday: Student generated content
    1. Substantive cases
    2. Research interests
    3. Schedule of assignments for remainder of quarter
    4. Project ideas
  4. Grad student online meeting hour
    1. Get electronic meeting format settled.
    2. Organize for grad student reading schedule
    3. Next week: Sage Methods book, chose a chapter.

WEEK 2: Investigating social dynamics, models of social systems and computational social sciences [Sep. 14]

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Overview

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We are bridging readings between a particular framework for modeling social change, and readings that focus on how the emergent data from online systems allows for the study of social dynamics in unprecedented ways. The framework is a variant of methodological individualism that grows from the work of James Coleman.

  1. Etherpad discussions for this week are located here: http://etherpad.com/YxnfH2zDhm

Schedule

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  1. Monday
    1. "Social Theory, Social Research, and a Theory of Action" Coleman, James. 1986, AJS; access from within OU http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2779798.pdf
      1. Abstract: Elyse McConnell http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AUzqNwQJ6hg-ZDRuazV4Ml8wZHM1M3o4Zzc&hl=en
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
      5. Related blog posts
        1. Example of Coleman Boat: http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/2009/09/model-of-emergent-change.html
        2. Today we discussed changing preferences in baby names as a function of social change- here is the link- http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=&ms=false&sw=f&exact=false
    2. Usable Theory Chapters 1,2
      1. Thesis:
      2. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      3. Comments: How can theory be used to help researchers understand social dynamics and explain variation in social outcomes? One strategy is proposed by Dietrich Rueschemeyer illustrates a type of toolbox approach.
  2. Tuesday
    1. R. Chapter 3: Knowledge
      1. Possible Abstract
    2. R. Chapter 5: Preferences
      1. Possible Abstract
    3. R. Chapter 12: Institutions
      1. Possible Abstract
  3. Thursday
    1. Computational social science. Lazer, Pentland, Adamic, Aral, Barabasi, Brewer, et al. 2009. Science Vol 323: http://hd.media.mit.edu/DL%20Science%20Feb%2009%20&%20Supporting.pdf
      1. Abstract: Jeff https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeBoTIWTAjbKZGRycTM0NjdfMTFoZm5uaHNjZg&hl=en&invite=CKnfqO4E
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Alessandro Vespignani. Predicting the Behavior of Techno-Social Systems. Science 24 July 2009: 425-428 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/325/5939/425.pdf
      1. Abstract: Katie Kassner http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AX3vFFf18ROAZGc5NGRzZ3RfMGZyazYzbWdu&hl=en&invite=CLe2_x0
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    3. See also: Welser et al, Chapter 7 in the Sage Handbook of Online Research chapter: get copy from Ted or read the pre-print copy: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~welser/WelserSageChapterPrePrint.pdf
      1. Abstract
  4. Friday: Integration. Discussion. Examples.
    1. Recap.
    2. Revisit.
    3. New connections.
  5. Grad student online meeting hour: discuss chapters from Sage book.
    1. Enumerate chapters to be discussed here.
    2. Chapter 23 - Mark Kokoska: Data Mining Statistical Data Analysis, or Advanced Analytics: Methodology, Implementation, and Applied Techniques
      1. Outline - http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZ_84r8sQ-wlZGMyZzZiY3FfMTZmYjhybmpmYg&hl=en&invite=CODTu48D
      2. Example - http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AZ_84r8sQ-wlZGMyZzZiY3FfMTdobTM3bnNkbQ&hl=en
    3. Chapter 18 - Jeff Kuznekoff: Research Uses of Multi-user Virtual Environments. Please note, I am looking at this from a quantitative perspective.
    4. Chapter 15 - Michelle: Internet-based Interviewing http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AT8sQmI_z_BMZDU4MjVqeF8yMmR4M3J3NWY3&hl=en&invite=CLLy8N0G
    5. Chapter 14 - Jarrid Wong: Virtual Ethnography,
    6. Chapter 8 - Katie: Analysing Social Networks via the Internet
    7. Chapter 28 - Brandon: The Internet and the Future of Social Science Research -
    8. Chapter 10- Dumitru: Overview:Online surveys

WEEK 3: Social networks part 1: Frameworks and methods [Sept. 21]

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Overview

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Technology is changing the structure of social relationships. Social network analysis is a way to think about and study the structure of social relationships in different social spaces. Social network analysis is a crucial component of studying different facets of online interaction

  1. Etherpad discussions for this week are located here: http://etherpad.com/cp9dK7Y9Pj
  2. Interesting network visualization of ownership relations in the food and organic food industry. https://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html
  3. Another interesting us of network info referenced in a cnn tech article and using touchgraph visualization: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/08/social.networks.connected/index.html
  4. Students in class made touchgraph vis of their networks. Comparison of our networks supported Bernie Hogan's observation that organizational complexity of people's biographies are related to their age, and to the # of distinct clusters in their facebook networks. (need link to Bernie's paper)

Schedule

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  1. Monday: Social networks provide a conceptual framework for thinking about society
    1. Benkler, Yochai. 2006. The Wealth of Networks. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/wealth_of_networks/Download_PDFs_of_the_book Chapters 1,10
      1. Abstract: Christina Green Ch. 1: Moment of opportunity and Change http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AbdK55LJYgKQZGR2OTlnemdfNThmZmt2dm5nNw&hl=en&invite=CM_GwJIB
      2. Abstract: Alexandra Manes Chapter 10: Social Ties: Networking together
      3. Thesis:
      4. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      5. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  2. Tuesday: More from Benkler: freedom and networked society. Chapters 2,3,4
    1. Abstracts by:
      1. Abstract: Brendon Healy, Chapter 2: Basic economics of information production and innovation
      2. Abstract: Alan Heaps, Ch.3: Peer Production and sharing http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AULTMsiuFk51ZHZ2eHdjbl8yZHo0NnA5ODM&hl=en&invite=CILN2sIC
      3. Abstract: Joe Argiro, Ch. 4: The economics of social production http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdWPLnfpL-irZGQ1cWI3d3NfMGhwbjh6OWR2&hl=en&invite=CMTQ_ucH
      4. Thesis:
      5. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      6. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Thursday: Resources that introduce the study of social networks
    1. "Social Network Analysis: An Introduction"(Alexandra Marin and Barry Wellman). http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman/publications/index.html
      1. Abstract: Michelle Calka http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AT8sQmI_z_BMZDU4MjVqeF8yM2N2aDhiOWhw&hl=en&invite=CKXg0M8F
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Carter T. Butts. Revisiting the Foundations of Network Analysis. Science 24 July 2009: 414-416. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/325/5939/414.pdf
      1. Abstract: Mark Kokoska http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZ_84r8sQ-wlZGMyZzZiY3FfMjZkNmM4ejhkNA&hl=en&invite=CKfR00s
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  4. Friday
    1. Discuss big picture network stuff
    2. or discuss, nuts and bolts of network analysis.
  5. Grad student meeting hour
    1. Something hands on?

Further resources

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NodeXL resources:

  1. Nodexl at codeplex: http://www.codeplex.com/nodexl
  2. 50 page Getting Started tutorial with data sets, which are also free: http://casci.umd.edu/NodeXL_Teaching
  3. Smith, M., Shneiderman, B., Milic-Frayling, N., Rodrigues, E., Barash, V., Dunne, C., Capone, T., Perer, A., Gleave, E. (April 2009) Analyzing (Social Media) Networks with NodeXL Proc. Communities & Technologies Conference, Springer (June 2009). http://hcil.cs.umd.edu/trs/2009-11/2009-11.pdf
    1. Abstract: Dumitru Sabaiduc http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AcJEvlzq3v5kZGM4Z25yZF81N2RneHh2Zmg&hl=en&invite=COLq_tUF
  4. Derek L. Hansen, Dana Rotman, Elizabeth Bonsignore, Natasa Milic-Frayling, Eduarda Mendes Rodrigues, Marc Smith, Ben Shneiderman (July 2009) Do You Know the Way to SNA?: A Process Model for Analyzing and Visualizing Social Media Data. http://www.cs.umd.edu/localphp/hcil/tech-reports-search.php?number=2009-17


See also:

    1. Sage hand book, assigned to the Grad students. Borrow it if you are interested.
    2. See also Bernie Hogan's chapter from Sage Handbook. pdf to class list.
    3. Marc Newmans overview article on ArXive, networks overview from the physics perspective. Link
    4. Communication networks and strategic behavior: book in draft by Jon Kleinberg and David Easley.
    5. Jon Kleinberg talk on networks: http://videolectures.net/kdd07_kleinberg_cisnd/
      1. Possible abstract: ??????
    6. Related reading: Another overarching frame that links networks to social action. Monge, Peter and Nosh Contractor. 2003. Theories of Communication Networks. http://www.amazon.com/Theories-Communication-Networks-Peter-Monge/dp/0195160371

WEEK 4: Social networks part 2: Topics and Studies [Sept. 28]

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Overview: Diffusion

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The role of social influence in diffusion has been a major topic of interest, with a classic study by James Coleman on prescription decisions of doctors (The diffusion of an innovation among physicians. J Coleman, E Katz, H Menzel - Sociometry, 1957 - jstor.org) Another major classic is by Mark Granovetter, called the strength of weak ties (original research article (1973) has been cited over 11,000 times, and his theoretical follow up (1983) has seen over 2,000 cites. We will focus on more recent work. We will start with a review article by Strang and Soule.

Schedule

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  1. Monday
    1. D Strang, SA Soule. 1998. Diffusion in organizations and social movements: From hybrid corn to poison pills. Annual review of sociology.http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146%2Fannurev.soc.24.1.265
      1. Abstract: Rachel Reilly http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASHJWSN_nbewZGNrYzRwbmZfMGZ0ODlocGdn&hl=en
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  2. Tuesday
    1. Yuan et al. 2009. either in class box, or http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117979306/home Note: We will look at this paper as well as the data related to it.
      1. Abstract: Nina Cesare http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYSlluhJgiCuZGZyMnAybnFfMTRmOTUzZ3JoYw&hl=en&invite=CMTjuu0F
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Thursday
    1. Backstrom et al. 2006. Group Formation in Large Social Networks: Membership, Growth, and Evolution. http://www.cs.cornell.edu/~lars/kdd06-comm.pdf
      1. Abstract: Arianna Iliff https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdMYOHjT6ALdZGR3MzZkanJfMWhraDV6d2R2&hl=en&invite=CLX3188E
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Social Influence and the Diffusion of User Created Content, Bakshy, Eytan, Karrer Brian, and Adamic Lada A. , Electronic Commerce, Stanford, CA, (2009) http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ladamic/papers/SecondLife/SocialInfluenceEC.pdf
      1. Abstract: Holly Ningard http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Ae5oh7Zokb5UZGRzZnJwM2JfMmNjcnRtaGZo&hl=en&invite=CLev-1o
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  4. Friday
  5. Grad student hour

Supplemental Material

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  1. Examples of diffusion, technology and social change
    1. Parkour
    2. diffusion of expertise to amateur enthusiasts. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1182090/Solar-powered-Amateur-astronomer-snaps-space-shuttle-telescope-speeding-sun.html
    3. Diffusion of new wedding norms:
      1. goth wedding http://englishrussia.com/?p=4544
      2. baby got back dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqiw-Kqtlr0
      3. thriller: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPmYbP0F4Zw
      4. forever procession: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webtvhub.com%2Fwatch-funny-wedding-procession-video-long-dance-down-the-isle%2F&feature=player_embedded
      5. soulja boy wedding dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YKR7eP76M&feature=related
      6. yet another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poXQaOVj5Gk&feature=related
        1. instructive comment: "LMAO this gave me a idea for when i have my wedding lol... "
      7. too sexy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3eFPtGl20&feature=fvw

WEEK 5: Collective action, social dilemmas and public goods [Oct. 5]

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Overview

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Why can't we have nice things? (sometimes we do, though). Mancur Olson wrote the book on public goods and the problem of cooperation. There is a good enough and very brief summary on Wikipedia. Read it and get a copy of the book if you want, it is often very cheap used. * Olson, Mancur (1971) [1965]. The Logic of Collective Action : Public Goods and the Theory of Groups (Revised edition ed.). Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-53751-3.
Go ahead and jumpstart your thinking in this area by reading the Wiki entries on

  1. The logic of Collective Action: http://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/The_Logic_of_Collective_Action
  2. Collective Action: http://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Collective_action
  3. Public goods http://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Public_goods
  4. Tragedy of the commons http://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
  5. Principal Agent Problem. http://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Principal_agent_problem


Another good resource on the topic of cooperation and collective action:

  1. Talk series including Peter Kollock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2W0fe6_oBE



We will start our reading with a review of standard issues in the study of social dilemmas, as well with an interesting perspective on the role of culture in solving the coordination problems inherent in social life.

Etherpad for This Week's Discussion- http://etherpad.com/bw1OTH2f6b

Schedule

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  1. Monday
    1. Overview discussion, project planning, schedule re-organization.
  2. Tuesday
    1. Social Dilemmas: The Anatomy of Cooperation. Peter Kollock http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.soc.24.1.183
      1. Abstract:-Jeff Kuznekoff https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeBoTIWTAjbKZGRycTM0NjdfMTRjaG02d2hjNw&hl=en&invite=CJihmKsD
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Thursday
    1. Rueschemeyer, Chapter 10: .
      1. Abstract:
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Michael Suk-Young Chwe. 1998. Culture, Circles, and Commercials: Publicity, Common Knowledge, and Social Coordination. Rationality and Society, 10: 47-75. http://www.chwe.net/michael/c.pdf
      1. Abstract: michelle calka http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AT8sQmI_z_BMZDU4MjVqeF8yNGQ3NHJ2eGdm&hl=en&invite=COSJl8QB
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  4. Friday
  5. Grad Student Hour

Additional concepts raised in Shirky book:

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    1. social systems as markets
    2. failure is necessary
    3. power law distribution,
    4. large n, the global talent pool
    5. transaction costs and long tail / power law
    6. over commitment to sunk costs a liability of firms
    7. groklaw example of distributed contribution system changing the course of a court case
    8. obstacles to cooperation, example of SARS gene sequencing
    9. perl support from usenet group, community, contribution to collective goods


WEEK 6: Collective action: social control systems [Oct. 12]

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Overview

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What sorts of informal systems allow organizations and online systems to control the behavior of participants?

  1. Etherpad discussions for this week: http://etherpad.com/OIwRQJd9GV

Schedule

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  1. Monday: Shirky, Chapter 8,10: . He goes over the PD game and makes some helpful illustration.
      1. Abstract: Arianna Iliff http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdMYOHjT6ALdZGR3MzZkanJfMmdzd253c2Ni&hl=en&invite=CLz-u4QE
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Elinor Ostrom. 2009. A General Framework for Analyzing Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems. Science 24 July 2009: 419-422. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/325/5939/419.pdf
      1. Abstract:
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  2. Tuesday:Norms
    1. Coleman: The demand for effective norms. pdf, drop box. NOTE: only read 241 to 255.
      1. Abstract: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZ_84r8sQ-wlZGMyZzZiY3FfNDdjcGdkemhjZg&hl=en
      2. Thesis: Mark Kokoska
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. McAdams: an esteem theory of norms. pdf, drop box.
      1. Rachel Reilly http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASHJWSN_nbewZGNrYzRwbmZfMWZndnFxN2Rt&hl=en&invite=CKjZhrgD
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    3. Competing to Share Expertise: the Taskcn Knowledge Sharing Community, Yang, Jiang, Adamic Lada A., and Ackerman Mark S. , ICWSM2008, 04/2008, Seattle, WA, (2008) http://bibsi6.cms.si.umich.edu/node/2
      1. Abstract:Alan heaps
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Thursday: Group Presentations

Project work day!! No Class on thursday.

      1. Food. . . .
  2. Friday
    1. Simulating Networks
    2. Firefighters
    3. Postsecret
      1. Food-Jeff Kuznekoff
      2. Food - Nina Cesare
      3. Juice - Mark Kokoska
  3. Grad Student Hour

Examples, cases, connections

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  1. They Write the Right Stuff: http://www.fastcompany.com/node/28121/print?
  2. David Weber book on FOSS culture and norms related to coding and contribution

WEEK 7: (Social control continued); Status, identity and group membership [Oct. 19]

[edit]

Etherpad for this week: http://etherpad.com/hkS0gAjHdS

  1. Monday: Presentations
    1. Lazik--Powerpoint: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B-BoTIWTAjbKNjBjMGY4YzctYTIwZS00MGNiLWJjNWItMzA4OGEzZTM1MDIz&hl=en

Blog post: http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-network-analysis-of-lasik.html

    1. Comparison of demographics of online dating sites
    2. Twitter trends--Powerpoint: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AT8sQmI_z_BMZDU4MjVqeF8yNWdrbTU5amZx&hl=en&invite=CJuL7JgG

Blog post: http://group-processes-social-change.blogspot.com/2009/10/twitter-popularity-number-of-news.html

    1. Food - Online dating group is probably going to bring muffins!
      1. Food
      2. Food
  2. Tuesday: Solidarity from systems of monitoring and sanctioning
    1. Hechter, chapter 4. pdf available through email or bb.
      1. Abstract: Jarrid Wong http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Aekp9-3k4_FDZGN4cXp0cHFfMTRkcTV3d3NjYw&hl=en&invite=CLGKkmM
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
        1. Funny quote from MIA: "Today, my mom gave me $10 to spy on my brother while his girlfriend was over. My brother gave me $10 to say they were on separate couches watching TV. Easiest $20 ever. MLIA" 619369 Comments: 23 Vote: Average 3775 Meh 84
    2. Welser, H. Gleave, E., Smith, M., Barash, V., Meckes, J. (2009) “Whither the Experts? Social affordances and the cultivation of experts in community Q&A systems”, in SIN '09: Proc. International symposium on Social Intelligence and Networking. IEEE Computer Society Press. http://telligent.com/communities/research/b/teamblog/archive/2009/08/27/telligent-contributes-to-three-papers-at-social-computing-2009-research-conference.aspx
  3. Thursday: Reputation systems and trust
    1. Review article: A survey of trust and reputation systems for online service provision. Josang,Ismail Boyd. http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/download.php/28303/JIB2007-DSS-Survey.pdf
      1. Abstract: Joe Argiro http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdWPLnfpL-irZGQ1cWI3d3NfM2cyM2R2Znpq&hl=en&invite=CIaxpM4B
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Reputation systems: Resnick et al: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=355112.355122
      1. Thesis:
      2. Abstract: Nina Cesare http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYSlluhJgiCuZGZyMnAybnFfMjI2aHdtczljYw&hl=en&invite=COHvqJYB
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    3. Surfing a web of trust: reputation and reciprocity on CouchSurfing.com, Lauterbach, Debra, Truong Hung, Shah Tanuj, and Adamic Lada A. , International Symposium on Social Intelligence and Networking (SIN-09), 08/2009, Vancouver, Canada, (2009) http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ladamic/papers/CouchSurfing/CouchSufingTrust.pdf
      1. Thesis:
      2. Abstract: Christina Green http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASi0FeGYKhUkZGNyZGY4cTRfM3R0YmY1Z3g&hl=en&invite=CIOQ88wD
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  1. Friday
  2. Grad Student Hour

Examples, cases, connections

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  1. Furry / Klingon Bowling
  2. Patrick Underwood's study of boundary keeping in Anonymous.

Week 8: Identity, commitment, community and roles [Oct. 26]

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Overview

[edit]
  1. Etherpad discussions for this week: http://etherpad.com/lXxqPBLxRE

Schedule

[edit]
  1. Monday: # Thursday: classic works on status characteristics
    1. Cecilia L. Ridgeway and Joseph Berger. Expectations, Legitimation, and Dominance Behavior in Task Groups. American Sociological Review, Vol. 51, No. 5 (Oct., 1986), pp. 603-617. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2095487
      1. Abstract:
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Joseph Berger and Murray Webster Jr. 2006. "Expectations, Status and Behavior." Chapter 12 in Peter Burke's "Contemporary Social Psychologicaly Theories" Stanford University Press. class list.
      1. Abstract: Holly Ningard
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  2. Tuesday A model of identity and commitment
    1. Burke, Peter J. and Donald C. Reitzes. 1981. "The Link Between Identity and Role Performance.” Social Psychology Quarterly. 44: 83-92. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3033704
      1. 'Abstract:Kyle Raffel: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddd9nj96_0g6hk9fcb### Thesis:
      2. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      3. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Burke, Peter J. and Donald C. Reitzes. 1991. “An Identity Theory Approach to Commitment.” Social Psychology Quarterly. 54: 239-251. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2786653
      1. Abstract:Katie Kassner
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Thursday: Classic works on identity theory and social identity theory
    1. Michael A. Hogg, Deborah J. Terry and Katherine M. White. A Tale of Two Theories: A Critical Comparison of Identity Theory with Social Identity Theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 4 (Dec., 1995), pp. 255-269 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2787127
      1. Abstract: Alyssa Pusecker
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Blake E. Ashforth and Fred Mael. Social Identity Theory and the Organization. The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan., 1989), pp. 20-39. http://www.jstor.org/stable/258189
      1. Abstract: Elyse
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    3. Consider also: chapter 13 usable theory


  1. Friday
  2. Graduate student hour

Week 9: Roles in Online Community and Student generated content 1 [Nov. 2]

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Etherpad for this week: http://etherpad.com/lImVT19ybg

  1. Monday Related issues in online groups
    1. Preece, Jennifer and Shneiderman, Ben (2009) "The Reader-to-Leader Framework: Motivating Technology-Mediated Social Participation," AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction (1) 1, pp. 13-32. http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=thci
      1. Abstract
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. The kindness of strangers: The usefulness of electronic weak ties for technical advice. D Constant, L Sproull, S Kiesler - Organization Science, 1996. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2634976
      1. Abstract: Dumitru Sabaiduc

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dc8gnrd_6d3k3svgs

      1. Thesis:
      2. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      3. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.

Roles, Networks and Community

  1. Tuesday Roles in online community
    1. Gleave, Eric, Howard T. Welser, Marc Smith, and Thomas Lento. (2009). “A conceptual and operational definition of social roles in online community.” In Proceedings of the 42nd Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences (HICSS), January 5-8. Computer Society Press. http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/HICSS_42/BestPapers42/DigitalMedia/ScoailSpaces.pdf
      1. Abstract:
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  2. Thursday: Identifying roles through structural signatures
    1. Welser, Howard T., Eric Gleave, Danyel Fisher, and Marc Smith. 2007. “Visualizing the Signatures of Social Roles in Online Discussion Groups.” The Journal of Social Structure. 8(2). http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~welser/SignaturesJoSS.PDF.version.pdf
      1. Abstract:
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
    2. Knowledge Sharing and Yahoo Answers: Everyone Knows Something, Adamic, Lada A., Zhang Jun, Bakshy Eytan, and Ackerman Mark S. , WWW2008, (2008) http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1370000/1367587/p665-adamic.pdf?key1=1367587&key2=2338303521&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=51871342&CFTOKEN=41187216
      1. Abstract:Brendon Healy
      2. Thesis:
      3. Key concepts, with page numbers and quotes.
      4. Comments, observations, connections, critiques.
  3. Friday

Week 10 Student generated content 2 [Nov. 9]

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Three people per day, four people on one of the days

  1. Monday-\
    1. Michelle Calka
      1. Paper
      2. Slides
      3. Blog Post
    2. Jeff Kuznekoff
    3. ?
  2. Tuesday
    1. Nina Cesare [[1]]
    2. Dumitru Sabaiduc http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AcJEvlzq3v5kZGM4Z25yZF8xN2Zibm5yZ2Ry&hl=en
    3. Mark Kokoska
  1. Thursday
    1. Holly Ningard
    2. Katie Kassner
    3. Brendon Healy
    4. Jarrid Wong
  2. Friday -,
    1. Elyse McConnell
    2. Kyle Raffel
    3. Alan Heaps
    4. Rachel Reilly

Week 11 Student generated content 3 [Nov. 16]

[edit]
  1. Monday: Last day of class.
    1. Christina Green
    2. Arianna Iliff
    3. Alyssa Pusecker
    4. Joey Argiro http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AdWPLnfpL-irZGQ1cWI3d3NfNGRnd2tzN2Zq&hl=en&invite=CKLY_r0E

Conclusion and Final Exam Period, Friday, November 20, at 10:10 a.m.

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The final exam period will be composed of three parts:

  1. Presentation of highlights of digital objects representing each students contribution and development in the course.
  2. Discussion of objects and new connections.
  3. Food.
    1. Ted: Doughnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuts.
    2. Joey: NutriGrain Breakfast bars, er.. I mean... Ding Dongs!
    3. Alyssa: something freshly baked, hopefully!
    4. Elyse: Ritz crackers and goat cheese, and maybe apple slices?
    5. Rachel: milk n' cookies!!!!
    6. Brandon B.: Perhaps, something liquid? Juice.
    7. Jarrid: Something from Heavens Bakery in The Plains.
    8. Dumitru: Reese's Cookies
    9. Katie: OJ and Choco milk

Examples of Social Change and Computer Mediated Interaction

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How do new technological developments for social interaction affect contemporary society and culture? What trends in social change can be documented from recent history, and where are we headed? Use this section to submit links and comments. Feel free to include links to class related commentary and blogging activity.

Recent events and news items of interest

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  • Interesting example of how norms may be changing in society in an uneven fashion, such that people who are less connected to the internet world will find the norms and values of more connected people abhorrent. Of course this example is just a conjectural illustration of a more general phenom http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/06/03/topless.shop.fire/
  • Hulu a victim of its own success:. Someone (perhaps me) should write a blog entry on this general issue. I never watch television from networks, cable or otherwise. And I intend to never purchase that sort of service, and people like me are growing in number. It seems like the networks are making a grave error by retreating from Hulu, as described in the story. On demand is the future. The network "force-feed channels" are dying. Watching a TV show will be on my terms or not at all. We watch old Battlestar episodes via netflix. But if we had to watch the force feed version we would never bother. I would rather read a book, plant the garden or play poker. Frak the networks.
  • Google: The cloud is cheaper All that is local computing evaporates into the cloud? Do some background reading by googling: cloud computing, web services. . . . The browser may be the operating system of the future. Or at least that is what google anticipates, figure 1: chrome. The software need not be in the box.
  • Nader says: Internet not so hot at "motivating action".

Old but good events and news items of interest

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A few sources for news about computer mediated interaction, online communities, and virtual worlds

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