Post by Matt Morley on Mar 20, 2016 0:44:49 GMT
Fotopoulou, A. (2014). Digital and networked by default? Women’s organisations and the
social imaginary of networked feminism. New Media & Society.
Fotopoulou's article is the most recent of this week's readings and introduces us to another new term: networked feminism. Networked feminism is in many ways an evolution of cyberfeminism that utilizes the rapid exchange of information found on Web 2.0 platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to mobilize and coordinate various feminist movements. Networked feminism allows for the immediate response to anti-feminist rhetoric and can help bring issues of sexism and discrimination to light. Examples of networked feminism taking on public figures include Mitt Romney's infamous "binders full of women" comment during a 2012 political debate leading to Facebook groups and Twitter profiles being made to highlight the issue in addition to the widespread use of the #bindersfullofwomen hashtag.
According to Fotopoulou, the social imaginaries -- or ways in which individuals imagine their social existence -- of internet users in the Web 2.0 era have helped legitimize many online social movements, including feminism. Because blogs, social networking and video sharing websites all allow for both discursive and technical practices among social activists, individuals are able to personalize and humanize their efforts while also connecting and participating with the larger community as a whole.
For her study, Aristea utilized ethnographic research methods to interview 12 activists involved with a variety of women's organizations which were primarily volunteer-based. The results of her interviews showed that the majority of the feminists activists that she interviewed considered Web 2.0 communication platforms an essential tool in their efforts raise awareness about political issues. One of the essential attributes of digital networks and networked feminism is their decentralized structure, where the voice of all participants involved in a group have an equal opportunity to be heard.
Fotopoulou did find however that some exclusionary characteristics of offline activist groups transitioned into cyberspaces, such as certain networks excluding transgender women or sex workers from their efforts. Even the simple act of imagining the group to be located in a central, physical space could act as a limitation and exclude a diverse range of activists from participating in feminist movements online. One other limitation of networked feminism that Fotopoulou found stemmed from some activists lack of computer literacy or resilience to adapt to new technology. In many cases older feminists found platforms such as Facebook to be a novelty or were simply uninterested in utilizing computers to communicate, organize and mobilize.
Additional Material:
I have talked quite a bit this semester about dealing with trolls and various forms of negativity online while attempting to use web tools for social activism. As mentioned previously this semester, the term "Social Justice Warrior" is often used as a slur against activists online who in the eyes of the accuser are apparently too easily offended or seek out injustices just to get attention. This segment of This American Life tells the story of a female writer who was harassed online daily for her work. She was able to stick to the "don't feed the trolls" mantra until one person decided it would be funny to contact her using various accounts he had created imitating her recently deceased father. When she wrote about the experience, the man actually reached out to her and apologized, and their conversation helped shed some light for me personally on how people can possibly be so awful to strangers who are simply seeking equality for others. Give it a listen if you've got 20 minutes to spare.
Discussion Question:
Fotopoulou believes that networked feminism is both empowering and exclusionary. While access to communication is more open than previous forms of media, those without the knowledge, technical skills or desire to access Web 2.0 communication platforms can often be left out of the dialog on social activism. Think critically about the community groups that you are a member of which have a strong Web 2.0 presence. Is there anything they do that might exclude certain demographics from participating? What could be done to make your group more inclusive and perhaps incorporate the voices of those without access to the internet? Feel free to answer the question here or head on over to our discussion board!
social imaginary of networked feminism. New Media & Society.
Fotopoulou's article is the most recent of this week's readings and introduces us to another new term: networked feminism. Networked feminism is in many ways an evolution of cyberfeminism that utilizes the rapid exchange of information found on Web 2.0 platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to mobilize and coordinate various feminist movements. Networked feminism allows for the immediate response to anti-feminist rhetoric and can help bring issues of sexism and discrimination to light. Examples of networked feminism taking on public figures include Mitt Romney's infamous "binders full of women" comment during a 2012 political debate leading to Facebook groups and Twitter profiles being made to highlight the issue in addition to the widespread use of the #bindersfullofwomen hashtag.
According to Fotopoulou, the social imaginaries -- or ways in which individuals imagine their social existence -- of internet users in the Web 2.0 era have helped legitimize many online social movements, including feminism. Because blogs, social networking and video sharing websites all allow for both discursive and technical practices among social activists, individuals are able to personalize and humanize their efforts while also connecting and participating with the larger community as a whole.
For her study, Aristea utilized ethnographic research methods to interview 12 activists involved with a variety of women's organizations which were primarily volunteer-based. The results of her interviews showed that the majority of the feminists activists that she interviewed considered Web 2.0 communication platforms an essential tool in their efforts raise awareness about political issues. One of the essential attributes of digital networks and networked feminism is their decentralized structure, where the voice of all participants involved in a group have an equal opportunity to be heard.
Fotopoulou did find however that some exclusionary characteristics of offline activist groups transitioned into cyberspaces, such as certain networks excluding transgender women or sex workers from their efforts. Even the simple act of imagining the group to be located in a central, physical space could act as a limitation and exclude a diverse range of activists from participating in feminist movements online. One other limitation of networked feminism that Fotopoulou found stemmed from some activists lack of computer literacy or resilience to adapt to new technology. In many cases older feminists found platforms such as Facebook to be a novelty or were simply uninterested in utilizing computers to communicate, organize and mobilize.
Additional Material:
I have talked quite a bit this semester about dealing with trolls and various forms of negativity online while attempting to use web tools for social activism. As mentioned previously this semester, the term "Social Justice Warrior" is often used as a slur against activists online who in the eyes of the accuser are apparently too easily offended or seek out injustices just to get attention. This segment of This American Life tells the story of a female writer who was harassed online daily for her work. She was able to stick to the "don't feed the trolls" mantra until one person decided it would be funny to contact her using various accounts he had created imitating her recently deceased father. When she wrote about the experience, the man actually reached out to her and apologized, and their conversation helped shed some light for me personally on how people can possibly be so awful to strangers who are simply seeking equality for others. Give it a listen if you've got 20 minutes to spare.
Discussion Question:
Fotopoulou believes that networked feminism is both empowering and exclusionary. While access to communication is more open than previous forms of media, those without the knowledge, technical skills or desire to access Web 2.0 communication platforms can often be left out of the dialog on social activism. Think critically about the community groups that you are a member of which have a strong Web 2.0 presence. Is there anything they do that might exclude certain demographics from participating? What could be done to make your group more inclusive and perhaps incorporate the voices of those without access to the internet? Feel free to answer the question here or head on over to our discussion board!