This thesis reports on aspects of information exchange in an online network whose members share an interest in travel. The Thorn Tree resembles a real thorn tree on which travellers hang messages. Using social network analysis, the network resulting from members participating in online discussions considers the importance of structure and position in an exchange network to travel information exchanges on the Africa category. Different ways and frequency of participation result in communication patterns giving structure to an exchange network in which participation in a thread determines the presence of a tie between actors. Actors are placed in various relations to others; network analysis makes measurements such as levels of reciprocity, density and centrality possible. At the heart of this study lies an inquiry into the Internet’s impact on society, more so, human interaction in cyberspace where spaces, places and even communities are qualified as being “virtual”. Scholars have different views in this regard. Some commentators claim that the Internet has spawned unique forms of community. The term “virtual communities” suggests new kinds of social interaction, with revolutionary consequences for local and global communication. Online communication could be a substitute for the loss of “traditional” physical communities, or even the cause of their demise. Others, however, praise the Internet for spawning communities even in the physical world. More complex theoretical perspectives are indicative of a need to interrogate the very notions of community and contemporary social networks resultant from the many-to-many communication capabilities of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Apart from community formation on the Internet, the concept community has not been tested among travellers yet. Networks, the ties people form and the exchanges that take place as a result of such ties relate to social capital. The notion of social capital in a computer-mediated environment needs more intense academic scrutiny. Nevertheless, for travellers and destination areas alike, information exchanges can be beneficial. However, not all information exchanges on the Thorn Tree or on the Internet per se are necessarily beneficial since verification is not always possible in a cyber environment. Nevertheless, for travellers with a need for travel information in a sparse network characterised by weak ties, content analysis linked to a network analysis proves that weak ties are beneficial for spreading useful information. On the Africa category discussions are short while threads have very limited life spans. Of the total number of actors in this dataset (1 282), it was found that a few are particularly active, while many contribute a few messages to a limited number of threads and clearly do not interact regularly on the Thorn Tree. / Thesis (DPhil (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Information Science / unrestricted

In recent years there has been growing enthusiasm among researchers for the promotion of online learning communities designed to support professional learning in preservice teacher education. The primary purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the role of such an online community in supporting student teacher learning during the school placement in a Chinese Normal University, and hence to enrich the understanding of student teachers’ learning experiences in an online ecology. The study’s subjects included a cohort of 42 student teachers enrolled on a four-year preservice teacher education programme, along with two university supervisors at one of China’s teacher-training universities. Primary data were collected from six weeks of online threaded discussions and from semi-structured group interviews. Supplementary data were taken from an end-of-school-placement evaluation and web-tracking logs. Data analysis has been informed and illuminated by the theoretical proposition of communities of practice. The findings of the study indicate that the online learning community is a valuable resource for supporting student teachers both personally and professionally. Findings suggest that online communication not only helps student teachers tackle immediate teaching concerns and technical problems, but, more importantly, provides them with opportunities to reflect collectively, to co-construct new teaching ideas, and to gain professional discourse competence through articulating and negotiating their evolving thoughts on teaching as a profession. In this regard, student teachers are found to be more comfortable with online self-disclosure of their personal and professional encounters and critiquing each other than they are with face-to-face communication. The research also shows that university supervisors experience mixed feelings about the fact that student teachers are more able to take ownership of their learning and therefore become less dependent on supervisor guidance as time wears on. Furthermore, these findings provide evidence suggestive of a possibly reciprocal relationship between Chinese view of learning and the building of online learning communities. Based on the results of the study, I provide recommendations as to how the significance of the school placement can be reinforced in fostering distributed student teachers’ professional growth. The results also contribute to a better understanding of the key factors in the design and implementation of effective online learning communities within preservice teacher education in China. Finally, the analytical approach used in this study provides fresh methodological insight into an alternative means of analysing online postings. It thus contributes both to the theorisation of learning communities in the context of computer-mediated communication, and to the further development of concepts drawn from the communities of practice literature.

The thesis deals with the involvement of digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) with video-capturing capacity in documentary and ethnographic film, more particularly, it examines whether and to what extent these genres were influenced by a trend called DSLR revolution. The main contribution of the work is a qualitative analysis of the testimonies of ten filmmakers, who used DSLR cameras while working on their films during the years 2010-2014. The synthesis of this analysis is conceptualised as a reconstruction of the process of decision-making whether to use or not to use a DSLR camera, considering its benefits (affordability, technical and aesthetic qualities, compactness and simplicity) and its limits (ergonomics, visual artifacts, workflow limits). The reconstruction of this decision-making process is considered in the context of specific experiences of the participants and it focuses on the impact of DSLRs on filming workflow and final product. The final chapter deals with the DSLR revolution as a social trend which was stimulated by the influence of online communities of DSLR filmmakers who actively participated in the course of the revolution. Appendix of the thesis contains a brief description of the film projects of all participants and the model of the structured questionnaire used for data...

This thesis is an ethnographic look at the player communities inside of the setting of digital online games in the MMORPG genre. The goal of this work is introducing MMORPG as an interesting and vibrant field for anthropological research. Another goal is an inquiry into player raiding communities in the game World of Warcraft. Thesis is researching questions of what is motivating players to join into guilds, how are they staying together and why do they fall apart. Research was conducted through methods of participant observation inside of the game's virtual environment, interviews with players, and the Internet space formed around the game was also observed. Whole research was conducted online. Key words: MMORPG, digital ethnography, digital anthropology, guilds, World of Warcraft

In 2019, the World Health Organization classified vaccine hesitancy as one of the ten biggest threats to global health. Since then, the anti-vaccination movement has expanded, at the same time as the Covid-19 virus has spread around the world. This thesis examines how opinion leaders in an anti-vaccination Facebook group design their communication in order to spread their alternative realities of Covid-19 vaccines. This case study focuses on what a specific anti-vaccination online community’s rhetorical situation looks like, and which rhetorical appeals are being used by the group’s opinion leaders. It has its theoretical starting point in a modified version of Lazarsfeld and Katz’s Two-step flow of communication that was put in relation to Bitzer’s and Aristotle's rhetoric theories. The result shows that the use of logos, ethos and pathos depends on the rhetorical situation. Pathos dominated the opinion leader's Facebook posts as their language was emotionally emphasized and appealed to individuals' feelings. Emotional arguments were seen as an effective approach to receive engagement from the recipients. Logos was the least used appeal and the opinion leaders' arguments rarely involved scientific proof or credible sources. This was considered to be due to the fact that the rhetorical audience consisted of like-minded people who already shared the views of the opinion leader. Therefore, they did not need to be convinced with fact-based arguments. This study was conducted through a netnographic approach and a rhetorical analysis with the aim of helping to fill a knowledge gap that can be helpful as support in preventative measures to reduce vaccine resistance through communication.

In recent years, a second generation of Web-based technologies have as “Web 2.0” At the core of Web 2.0 are web-based services, social networking and online collaborative functions. Forestry, like other disciplines, has the potential to take advantage of these technologies to alter or change the way traditional interaction between forestry professionals and other interested parties is undertaken. This dissertation explores the use of Web 2.0 and social networking technologies in two domains: (1) eBusiness and (2) Urban Ecology. The thesis is designed to provide essentially two chapters that stand on their own, and describe the background and the design and development of two Web 2.0 online systems. The eBusiness chapter of this thesis includes the research on the applicability of the online community model for today’s forest sector electronic businesses-to-business platforms. The Urban Ecology chapter consists of the research how data integration along with a “content management system” designed for a social network website can be exploited to improve collaboration among geographically distant researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders interested in Urban Ecology. In addition to the text in this dissertation, a “supplement” to this dissertation are two computer systems and databases that the author developed over the course of 2006-2007.

Denna studie utforskar återuppträdandet av stickning som en populär aktivitet och den roll som online-plattformar spelar för att stödja och upprätthålla denna trend. Genom intervjuer med stickare och analys av online-gemenskaper för stickning visar studien att stickning har upplevt en återkomst på grund av dess nostalgiska och terapeutiska drag, vilket främjar kreativitet, gemenskap och en känsla av samhörighet. Resultaten visar att livshändelser som graviditet, arbetslöshet och Covid-19-pandemin har fått människor att återuppta sitt engagemang för hobbyn. Onlineplattformar, inklusive YouTube, Instagram och online grupper för stickning, har spelat en avgörande roll genom att erbjuda läromedel, inspiration och möjligheter till interaktion och att dela med sig med andra stickare. Skapare av stickrelaterat innehåll på sociala medier värdesätter sin koppling till stickgemenskapen och bygger ofta sina egna gemenskaper, drivna av kreativitet, prestation och viljan att göra en positiv påverkan. Dessutom visar studien att stickning innehar värden som sträcker sig bortom den digitala världen, såsom att främja en långsammare, analog livsstil samt främjandet av hållbarhet. Även om online-gemenskaper för stickning uppskattas finns det en stark önskan bland stickare att engagera sig i offline-miljöer och söka meningsfulla kopplingar bortom den digitala världen. Denna studie bidrar till vår förståelse för stickning som en social praktik och betonar behovet av ett holistiskt perspektiv som beaktar både online- och offlinegemenskaper för stickning. / This thesis explores the re-emergence of knitting as a popular activity and the role of online platforms in supporting and sustaining this trend. Drawing on interviews with knitters and analysis of online knitting communities, the study reveals that knitting has experienced a resurgence due to its nostalgic and therapeutic appeal, fostering creativity, connection, and a sense of community. The findings demonstrate that life events such as pregnancy, unemployment, and the Covid-19 pandemic have triggered people to re-engage with the hobby. Online platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and online knitting groups, have played a crucial role in providing learning resources, inspiration, and opportunities for interaction and sharing among knitters. Knitting content creators in social media platforms value their connection with the knitting community and often build their own communities, driven by creativity, accomplishment, and the desire to make a positive impact. Moreover, the study reveals that knitting holds values that extend beyond the online realm, such as promoting a slower, analog way of living and fostering sustainability. While online knitting communities are valued, there is a strong desire among knitters to engage in offline settings and seek meaningful connections beyond the digital realm. This research contributes to our understanding of knitting as a social practice and emphasises the need for a holistic perspective that considers both online and offline knitting communities.

The Covid-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, with global lockdowns impacting individuals on a profound scale. Many took to social media to cope with feelings of anxiety and isolation. Lockdown conditions and social media carry with them particular challenges, triggers and temptations for those with eating disorders, namely in the form of online communities promoting eating disorders and disordered behaviors as a legitimate lifestyle choice. This study examines pro-eating disorder Twitter communities before, during and after the initial Covid-19 lockdown (Mid-March to May 2020) to examine the influence of confinement on leadership dynamics and content trends. Utilizing data obtained through Twitter’s Academic API, I constructed monthly retweet network time-slices spanning from November 2019 to September 2020. Through social network analysis and analyzing turnover rates of top users, the evolution of influential users was assessed to test whether the circumstances created by Covid-19 restrictions would disrupt the established leadership paradigm or the period would maintain stable leadership based on expectations proposed by the literature of preferential attachment in scale-free networks. Contrary to expectations, influential users exhibited high turnover throughout the period and the network showed no tendency towards preferential attachment or any scale-free behavior in degree distributions. The high rate of leader turnover further increased in May and a higher proportion of new users achieved the highest number of in-degree ties into the latter months, but this hint at a cohort shift did not align with covid lockdown as predicted, instead occurring at the end of lockdown and continuing until the end of the studied period. Ultimately, users’ mostly fleeting popularity was largely based on the current content interests of the group rather than the individual user’s network position. The increase in activity predicted to co-occur with covid restrictions did not materialize until the summer months, therefore cannot be definitively linked to lockdown. The fluctuations in topic popularity detected in the topic model suggest a possible seasonal component to the rhythms of this community that requires further research. This exclusive longitudinal analysis of retweet networks as they were affected by covid-19 lockdown conditions challenges previous research on influence in social networks and online communities with findings of more dynamic leadership. Understanding the influence dynamics of this community can inform efforts to combat the spread of potentially harmful content and provide valuable insights for eating disorder specialists navigating the influences that may affecting their patients.

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