internet chance and challengeperspectives of participation in society

FEJS Skopje 12.9.08 [email protected]

Internet Chance and ChallengeInternet Chance and ChallengePerspectives of Participation in SocietyPerspectives of Participation in Society

THOMAS A. BAUER

University of Viennahttp://www.thomasbauer.at.

http://www.thomas.bauer.at.tf/


INERNET & SOCIAL CANGE

• Is the Internet a Sign of a New World

• Or a Signification for a New World?

• In any Way it is a Reference System of and for Social Change.


1.1.The Reference for Myths and Narrations:

• Media- or Communication Society

• Information- or Knowledge Society

• Digital Age


Social Change: Social Change: The Reference for Myths and Narrations:

Media Society

means:Information, knowledge, orientation and social connectivityIs constructed via mediaMedia gives advantage

demandsMediality / mediatisation of social relations and social networking

under conditions ofGlobalization of cultural and civil values



Knowledge Society

means:Reasonability of complexity and Standardization of knowledge-technologiesCompetition of knowledge managementKnowledge (education) gives advantage

demandsKnowledge managementCommunicative treatment of complexity

under conditions ofDiverse cultural evaluation of knowledge



Digital Age

means:Mediatisation and medialisation of everyday lifeBeing digital gives advantage

demandsMedia literacy and coming along with mediatisation of relation and worldreference

under conditions ofDigital divide, knowledge gap, diversity of lifestyles, cultures, religions(hybridization)


2. Necessity of Theoretical Reflection:A critical theory does not just depict, but gives an interpretation of experience

• how we see things (observation)• why we see things how we see them (observation of observation)• and uses a ground-model (paradigm)

• models of knowledge – perspective of observation• for media: transport, transmission, transformation

(technical model of knowledge such as movement, change, process: reason-effect model)

• media as space of meeting – a reference point of agreement in constructing the reality

• media is mediality: usage of media• the media is us: not we observe media, media observes us - when we

observe media, we observe how we observe us (mirror-model)


3. Media Theory: cultural turn

• From:- technological understanding of media: transport, transmission, transformation (technical model of knowledge such as functions of movement movement, change, process: reason-effect model)- media as space of meeting – a reference point of agreement in constructing the reality

• To:- media is mediality: usage of media- the media is us: not we observe media, media observes us - when we observe media, we observe how we observe us (mirror-model)

The Internet is a model of reference that mirrors how we in understand (observe) ourselves (identity, relation, meaning of life) in context of social relations


3. The Media-Specification of Internet :

Net-Media are different: a new model of social relation:• exchangeability of roles: each user a potential

communicator • from repressive media usage to emancipative media usage, • from socialized media usage to social media usage• new professionalism / improvisation• de-limitation of time, distance and space• new social connectivity: anyone to anyone• new structure of public sphere (heterarchy)


4. The Culture of Internet:

Culture is - a program of values, - a system of meanings - and a concept of life, - that gets expressed by the way of living and by the way of dealing the

relation among human beings and the relation of human beings to the natural, social and symbolic (medial) environment.

- It maintains the meaning and the sense behind the structures and activities of everyday life

- and effects mind, habit, attitude and behaviour. Culture is a measure of communication and society. Talking about communication and/or

society always in same time is a reflection of/on culture.


5. Internet Culture: The Technological and Aesthetical Frame of:

• mediality of social life: nothing is free of media: aesthetical environment, themes, events, relations, orientations of life, everyday agenda, knowledge

• new meaning of relationship: de-hierarchized, casual, open agreement,

• new structure of discourse and narration: new social order

• being anywhere anytime with anyone : movement and nomadism between freedom and nowhere

• getting anything anytime for any reason: open horizon


6. Chances and Challenges in Societal Participation:

Social / Societal Participation:

getting connectivity to

the social/societal development and social change

• Structural change of public sphere

• new structures in politics. e-government, e-administration models of participation in community development


7. Needs and Conditions:

• media literacy: selectivity, differenciation between information and knowledge, information flood

• dealing with temptation of abuse: racism, sexism, ideologies, media religion

• social competence: expectations of social and cultural environment:identity, role-competence, personality, professionalism in public life

• intercultural competence for transcultural communication: challenge for mind, habit, attitude, behaviour


7. Needs and Conditions:

Key Competence Intercultural Communication

Mind:Self-reflection: the respect for other cultures comes from a critical distance to the own oneAttitude: Trust: the quality to concede to the other the conditions one needs to remain true to oneselfHabit: Interest: the one who sees the world in an other manner than i do is the one i need as a partner to complete my viewBehaviour:Empathy: The observation of cultures is a question of a culture of observation


8. Civil Society: The Model of Democracy

Media Concepts:

Alternative Media : community media, network media

Idea:

Give everybody the chance and the challenge to participate (mediocracy)

Work profile:

Semiprofessional journalism, citizen journalism, blogger

Competence: Attitude

Open mind, interest in diversity

Change: society in transition

Find your own way of developing program (transition)

Challenge:

media literacy (media ethics: concept of mediality)

internet chance and challengeperspectives of participation in society

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