[ecrea] New Media Technologies and User Empowerment

New book announcement


New Media Technologies and User Empowerment
Jo Pierson, Enid Mante-Meijer and Eug=E8ne Loos (eds.)
Peter Lang - International Academic Publishers
May 2011
ISBN 978-3-631-60031-3

Peter Lang published the book 'New Media Technologies and User =
Empowerment' (edited by Jo Pierson, Enid Mante-Meijer and Eug=E8ne Loos)
Volume 6 in 'Participation in Broadband Society' series (edited by =
Leopoldina Fortunati, Julian Gebhardt and Jane Vincent)

'This collection provides numerous and refreshing insights into the =
claims about the ever more proactive role of users of information and =
communication technologies.  Through a variety of case studies, =
illustrating the array of theoretical frameworks available, the authors =
throw light upon the diverse ways in which users engage with =
innovations. =46rom outlining the challenges of involving users in =
design, through appreciating the diverse origins and nature of user =
engagement with ICTs to critically commenting upon the constraints of =
the user experience, this book provides a welcome and useful =
contribution to the field.' (Leslie Haddon - LSE London School of =
Economics and Political Sciences)

'User-generated content, produsage, collective intelligence =96 these =
terms have come into their own in recent years, filled with detail as =
researchers explore the finer nuances of participative Web environments. =
This is a rich collection of such work, exploring the successes and =
failures of innovative online projects, and examining how they affect =
the rhetoric of user empowerment that surrounds Web 2.0. A very welcome =
addition to this field of research.' (Axel Bruns - Author of Blogs, =
Wikipedia, Second Life and Beyond: =46rom Production to Produsage)


Synopsis:

Recent developments in new media devices and applications have led to =
the rise of what have become known as =91social media=92, =91Web 2.0=92, =
=91social computing=92 or =91participative web=92. This shift in ICT, =
from unidirectional to conversational media of mass self-communication =
has lowered the technological thresholds for everyday users to cooperate =
for their own benefit, to participate in online environments and social =
network sites, to co-create business value and to become =91produsers=92 =
or =91pro-ams=92. At the same time, we see an evolution towards =
people-centred design and user-driven innovation in the design of new =
media technologies. This has created new opportunities and heightened =
expectations regarding user empowerment in different societal arenas.

However, the question remains to what extent users and communities =
interacting in an all-IP new media ecosystem are empowered (and not =
disempowered) to express their creativity and concerns in their social =
and cultural environment and to obtain a prominent role in the process =
of new media design and innovation. The book attempts to answer this =
question through a collection of chapters that scrutinise this issue. =
The different chapters focus on the way that social and economic =
opportunities and threats enable and/or constrain user empowerment.

This work consists of four major sections, each of which examines the =
(potential) empowerment/disempowerment of users in relation to new media =
technologies from a different angle. The chapters in the first section =
describe different theoretical perspectives on user roles and user =
involvement in the new media ecosystem, referring to interpretative, =
positivist and critical schools of thought. Based on these overall =
guiding frameworks, we then explore the leverage users have, both on =
content level and on technological level. This refers respectively to =
the second and third section of the book. In the fourth section =
different case studies are presented, each of which highlight how user =
empowerment manifests itself in different new media sectors and =
environments (such as publishing, the music industry and social =
networking sites).

The book is based on interdisciplinary research. It offers innovative =
insights based on state-of-the-art academic and industry-driven ICT user =
research in various European countries. This work will appeal to =
post-graduate students and researchers in the field of media and =
communication studies, social studies of technology, digital media =
marketing and other domains that investigate the mutual relationship =
between new media technologies and society.


Contents:

Yves Punie: Introduction: New Media Technologies and User Empowerment. =
Is there a Happy Ending? - Enid Mante-Meijer/Eug=E8ne Loos: Innovation =
and the Role of Push and Pull - Valerie Frissen/Mijke Slot: The Return =
of the Bricoleur: Redefining Media Business - Serge Proulx/Lorna Heaton: =
Forms of User Contribution in Online Communities: Mechanisms of Mutual =
Recognition between Contributors - Aphra Kerr/Stefano De Paoli/Cristiano =
Storni: Rethinking the Role of Users in ICT Design: Reflections for the =
Internet - James Stewart/Laurence Claeys: Problems and Opportunities of =
Interdisciplinary Work Involving Users in Speculative Research for =
Innovation of Novel ICT Applications - Marinka Vangenck/Jo Pierson/Wendy =
Van den Broeck/Bram Lievens: User-Driven Innovation in the Case of =
Three-Dimensional Urban Environments - Mijke Slot: Web Roles =
Re-examined: Exploring User Roles in the Media Environment - Philip =
Ely/David Frohlich/Nicola Green: Uncertainty, Upheavals and Upgrades: =
Digital-DIY during Life-change - Eva K. T=F6rnquist: In Search of Elks =
and Birds: Two Case Studies on the Creative Use of ICT in Sweden - =
Levente Szekely/Agnes Urban: Over the Innovators and Early Adopters: =
Incentives and Obstacles of Internet Usage - James Stewart/Richard =
Coyne/Penny Travlou/Mark Wright/Henrik Ekeus: The Memory Space and the =
Conference: Exploring Future Uses of Web2.0 and Mobile Internet through =
Design Interventions - Sanna Martilla/Kati Hyypp=E4/Kari-Hans Kommonen: =
Co-Design of a Software Toolkit for Media Practices: P2P-Fusion Case =
Study - Ike Picone: Mapping Users' Motivations and Thresholds for =
Casually =ABProdusing=BB News - Stijn Bannier: The Musical Network 2.0&  =
3.0 - Enid Mante-Meijer/Jo Pierson/Eug=E8ne Loos: Conclusion: =
Substantiating User Empowerment.


For more information on the book, follow the link below:
 =
<http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=3Dcmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.details=
eiten&seitentyp=3Dprodukt&pk=3D53090>


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