I have changed my proposal for my project. Originally I was going to do the project in regards to virtual learning environments, but the argument that I thought I was making may have been too broad.
My project will now center on Internet activism and its translational role in real and virtual spaces. My thesis statement will be something along the lines of:
Internet activism is becoming a necessary tool for physical activism, especially within the constructs of technologically advanced societies.
I will explore why Internet activism is a necessary tool for physical activism within the constructs of technologically advanced societies. I will argue that Internet activism has quickened the pace of group formation both real and virtual and why it is becoming a necessary step in promoting these group formations. I will argue how Internet activism is becoming key to communicating important messages with large audiences, specifically newer generations and how it often leads to action within the real world but holds some limitations. I will also show how Internet activism and group formation is changing politics and practices associated with online campaigning or agendas and address some limitations of these practices through sites such as YouTube .
Annotated Bibliography:
Kahn, Richard, Douglas Kellner. “Technopolitics and Oppositional Media.” The Cybercultures Reader. Ed. David Bell and Barbara M. Kennedy. New York: Routledge, 2007. 619-637. Print.
-Kahn and Kellner specify the necessity of updating Internet politics as the Internet has become a tool for organizing information and social interaction.
The authors argue that group formation and internet activism are of specific importance when opposing threats to democracy or threats against institutions that are to protect American civil liberties.
Hess, Aaron. “Resistance Up in Smoke: Analyzing the Limitations of Deliberation on You Tube.” Critical Studies in Media Communication. New York: Routledge, Vol. 26 (5). (2009). 411-434. Web. http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a917018225~db=all
-An analysis which examines the resistance towards governance (in this case a politically motivated anti-drug campaign) within a digital space by examining digital vernacular responses within the YouTube community.
Land, Molly Beutz. “Networked Activism.” Harvard Human Rights Journal. Cambridge: Harvard Law School Journals. (2009). Vol. 22 ( 2). 205-243. Web. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=8&sid=6a7e8f1f-54f2-4d81-bbf0-0b52290bc5ea%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=45005397#db=a9h&AN=45005397
-The article utilizes a model of “networked activism” to specify how online activism achieves vast mobilization and a more thorough participation among its followers.
Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody. New York: Penguin Group, 2008. Print.
-A book which references the importance of group formation and assimilation online and how it translates into real space. Shirky utilizes examples which show the relevance of these group formations and how they generate tangible and more immediate results utilizing Internet activism and online collaboration.
Hara, Noriko. “Internet use for political mobilization: Voices of participants.” First Monday. (2008). Vol. 13 (7) Web. http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2123/1976
-The article describes how presidential hopeful, Howard Dean and the activist group called MoveOn.org tried to use Internet activism to elevate their presidential campaign, only to be unsuccessful in their attempts. The article however brings light to the relevance of a specific time period and how that time period and internet activism may have been ahead of its time. The article centers its focus on how citizens participate in politically motivated agendas through internet based organizations using online activism.
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Take everything you've said about what your argument is and what it will show, and focus on ONE particular event that made all of those things true. In other words, instead of saying "Internet activism is becoming a necessary tool for physical activism, especially within the constructs of technologically advanced societies" approach it as "The use of the internet for purposes of activism proved necessary [or incredibly helpful, or whatever] during [some recent event not covered in the essays you've read], because [it did X,Y,Z things you mentioned further on]" Throughout you would be supporting that argument; you would also have to address someone (naysayer) who might say "well, that would have happened anyway" -- you have to show why, no, it wouldn't have. So, keep working toward that and you will be fine.
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