February 1, 2012 7:00 PM - 5 attended
Manuel Castells ‘Communication, Power and Counter-power in the Network Society’
It’s a longer text than usual (29 pages) so allow for the time to read it. This article presents a set of grounded hypotheses on the interplay between communication and power relationships in the technological context that characterizes the network society. Based on a selected body of communication literature, and of a number of case studies and examples, it argues that the media have become the social space where power is decided. It shows the direct link between politics, media politics, the politics of scandal, and the crisis of political legitimacy in a global perspective. It also puts forward the notion that the development of interactive, horizontal networks of communication has induced the rise of a new form of communication, mass self-communication, over the Internet and wireless communication networks. Under these conditions, insurgent politics and social movements are able to intervene more decisively in the new communication space. However, corporate media and mainstream politics have also invested in this new communication space. As a result of these processes, mass media and horizontal communication networks are converging. The net outcome of this evolution is a historical shift of the public sphere from the institutional realm to the new communication space.
-
-
Marcus Leis Allion
We should aim to meet at the cafe on the ground floor before 7pm: http://www.barbican.org.uk/general/venue-maps.asp?i=5&...
At 7pm we will populate a space on either floor -1 or floor -2, as they're quiet and distraction free. The discussion will last 1.5?2 hours. Look forward to seeing you all tomorrow.Posted January 31 at 5:47 PM
-
Marcus Leis AllionEvent HostDirector, OrganizerAn interesting night with many insights and questions. Much of the discussion used text as a broad base from which to discuss topics rather than reference it, and we need to consider why that happened. We need to be much more rigorous in our readings and discussion.
-
Andrew JefferyAssistant OrganizerI think this longer text required more specific questions to cut though it's breadth to it's core questions. This will serve as a good point of learning in how to approach texts, and will improve our methods for getting the most out of future texts. Whilst we learnt that lesson, we still took much from the reading. Castells' description of the 'network society' and the roles of the media and power within that network presented a more unbalanced picture of how it exists. Previously ideas discussed suggested that perhaps media have a more dominant role than what Castells argues. He says that media play more of a carrying role for the many forces of power that society is already a construction of, and that they have less influence on the type of communication flows through them than these power forces. This lead to an interesting discussion on the preconceptions of internet networks and how much they really negate hierarchies that already exist. Power exists in these networks.
-
-
-
A former member
Offer a perk for our members and get exposure.
Offer a perk →
Other nearbyMeetups
The Meetup Groups shown here are topically similar to Becoming There: Graphic Design Reading Group.
Groups are more likely to be displayed here if they:
- have a Meetup scheduled
- have a high rating
- have a group photo
- are "public" and not "private"
- have shown they are likely to stick around (older than 30 days)
-
481 members
-
-
-
90 Members
-
231 Educational games makers
Next Meetup:
Wednesday, Mar 28 -
near London
Whereabouts at the Barbican is everyone to meet up?