Communicating for change: media and agency in the networked public sphere

This paper is aimed at anyone who is interested in the role of media as an influence on power and policy. It especially about the role of news journalism, NGOs and other activists who use communication for change. It looks at the context for those actors and their actions. It asks how much the Internet and social networks are changing advocacy. It takes an ethical and political rather than technological or theoretical approach. It ask whether the ‘public sphere’ needs to be redefined. If that is the case, I argue, then we need to think again about journalism, advocacy communications and the relationship between mediation and social, political or economic change. I would identify three overlapping, interrelated media dynamics that might add up to the need for a new notion of the public sphere: the disruption of communication power; the rise of networked journalism; the dual forces for online socialisation and corporatisation. This is not only a theoretical concern. From these dynamics flow all the other arguments about what kind of media we want or need, and what effect it will have on our ability to communicate particular kinds of issues or information. Unless we understand the strategic context of these changes we will continue to make the kind of tactical blunders that Kony2012, for example, represents. This is not just an academic question, it is an ethical, political and practical set of problems

The role of social media in the collaboration, interaction, co-creation and co-delivery of a social venture in an uncertain conflict environment

This research case study examines the creation and development of a bottom-up social enterprise immediately after the outbreak of a civil war in an Arab country by a group of young patriots in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprisings in the 2010s. Drawing on Linders’ (2012) model of social action lifecycle, our study examines how different actors become involved and co-created a socially entrepreneurial venture (SEV), how these actors contributed to the coproduction and co-delivery of the social actions (values) over time, and how social media play roles in these processes. Drawing from the empirical evidences of citizen co-production within the existing literature, we found that SEVs operate in very different ways in which the role of social media is critical, both from their equivalents operating in a penurious but stable environment, and those intending to pursue political action within a conflict situation. In our case study, social media was not intended for mass-mobilisation, but for selected mobilisation amongst those within the network. This is due to the insecure environment and the fear of infiltration from opposing parties. We also examine how new actors were, over time, being carefully screened and selected, and potential harmful existing players being excluded, which in turn contributed to the evolving nature of the social enterprises

From seeing the writing on the wall, to getting together for a bowl: direct and compensating effects of Facebook use on offline associational membership

Research concerned with a decline of associational involvement has examined whether the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook, may reinvigorate or crowd out involvement in civil society. Yet, previous studies have not systematically investigated possible effects of Facebook use on associational membership. We posit that the effects of Facebook use are twofold: Facebook stimulates associational membership directly through its inherent networking features and indirectly by compensating for the lack of traditional mobilizing factors, such as social trust and internal efficacy. Relying on a probabilistic sample of German participants aged 18-49, our findings show that Facebook users are more likely to be members of voluntary associations and that Facebook use increases the likelihood of associational membership even for individuals with low levels of social trust and internal efficacy. Instead of crowding out offline associational involvement, Facebook use stimulates membership in voluntary associations, thus contributing to the vitality of civil society

Proceedings of the Weizenbaum Conference 2023: AI, Big Data, Social Media, and People on the Move

The conference focused on topics that arise from artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data deployed on and used by 'people on the move'. We understand the term 'people on the move' in a broad sense: individuals and groups who - by volition or necessity - are changing their lives and/or their structural position in societies. This encompasses the role of automated systems or AI in different forms of geographical and social change, including migration and labour mobility, algorithmic uses of 'location', as well as discourses of and about people on the move

A learning event, February 2016, Manila, Philippines

The technological innovations of the last two decades – cell phones, tablets, open data and social media – mean that governments and citizens can interact like never before. Around the world, in different contexts, citizens have fast-increasing access to information and communications technologies (ICTs) that enable them to monitor government performance and express their views on it in real time. In February 2016, a learning event in Manila, convened by Making All Voices Count, brought together 55 researchers and practitioners from 15 countries. They all work on using new technologies for accountable governance. They shared their diverse experiences, reflected on how they approach transformative governance, and visited Filipino accountable governance initiatives. This report shares some of what they learned.Omidyar Network; the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency; the UK Department for International Development; the United States Agency for International Development

Blockchain as a chain for humanitarian aid: transforming the lives of refugees

Updated United Nations data shows that 79.5 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced already by the end of 2019. These were already record-setting numbers of refugees and displaced people around the world. Now they face a new unimaginable and threatening emergency: the global health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent economic crisis it has generated. Refugees are amongst the most vulnerable group who now are facing also a pandemic of poverty. It is fair to say that 2020 has been one of the toughest years in history. The present year has also been characterized by a succession of catastrophes and natural disasters, which aggravated a world already severally affected by the Covid-19 crisis. Large emergencies and extreme situations demand for coordination, trust and efficiency. We are currently entering a new era of disruptive technology that will revolutionize the industry, and blockchain holds vast promise for a transformation of the humanitarian sector. This thesis explores the use of blockchain technology to improve effectiveness of contemporary humanitarian aid in the field of refugees and displaced people by focusing on two specific use-case opportunities: digital identity management and aid delivery tracking. This dissertation outlines the use cases of blockchain to help mitigate the impact and strain of the refugee crisis for both refugees and host countries alike. The aim is to reflect on the improvements and pitfalls related to the adaptation of this disruptive technology in the field.Dados atualizados das Nações Unidas mostram que 79,5 milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo foram deslocadas à força no final de 2019. Esses já eram números recordes de refugiados e pessoas deslocadas em todo o mundo. Agora eles enfrentam uma nova emergência inimaginável e ameaçadora: a crise de saúde global causada pela pandemia de Covid-19 e a consequente crise econômica que ela gerou. Os refugiados estão entre o grupo mais vulnerável que agora enfrenta também uma pandemia de pobreza. 2020 foi um dos anos mais difíceis da história. O presente ano também se caracterizou por uma sucessão de catástrofes e desastres naturais, que agravaram um mundo já seriamente afetado pela crise da Covid-19. Grandes emergências e situações extremas exigem coordenação, confiança e eficiência. Atualmente, estamos a entrar em uma nova era de tecnologia disruptiva que revolucionará a indústria, e o "blockchain" é uma grande promessa para a transformação do setor humanitário. Esta tese explora o uso da tecnologia blockchain para melhorar a eficácia da ajuda humanitária contemporânea no campo de refugiados e pessoas deslocadas, concentrando-se em duas oportunidades de casos de uso específicos: gerenciamento de identidade digital e rastreamento de entrega de ajuda. Esta dissertação descreve os casos de uso de "blockchain" para ajudar a mitigar o impacto e a tensão da crise de refugiados para refugiados e países anfitriões. O objetivo é refletir sobre as melhorias e armadilhas relacionadas à adaptação dessa tecnologia disruptiva no campo

A Review: Green Life And Behavior Change for Net Zero by Non Governmental Organizations

global warming and environmental issues are being caused by the overuse of fossil fuels and increased industrialization around the world, which has resulted in the production of greenhouse gases. As a result, it's crucial to reach net-zero carbon emissions. By balancing the total quantity of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions over a specific period and taking actions that are ecologically responsible, net zero carbon emissions can be accomplished. For environmental sustainability to be successful, it must be able to influence people's attitudes and behavior toward the environment. To understand NGOs' obligations in supporting net-zero carbon emissions, this paper presents a methodical debate utilizing NGOs as case studies. The method is employed in this work by reviewing the body of primary and secondary research on the study issue. This essay initially lists different environmental NGOs organizations before categorizing and outlining some of the significant GHGs reduction initiatives made by these organizations. This essay also addresses key issues that must be addressed upon to achieve the best outcomes. This report gives a broad overview of the synergizing domains that NGOs around the globe work in to assist improvement environmental security

Designing with and for social innovation: service design by working with youth civic groups in Lebanon

Ph. D. ThesisWithin contested contexts marked by profound political, social, and economic changes, social innovation emerges to reconceptualise services, ideas, and products. At the intersection of multifaceted agendas, social innovation brings forward a paradigm shift in tackling problems that traditional methods fail to adequately address. In this thesis, I focus on the context of Lebanon which suffers from political, economic, public health, and social turmoil. In light of a fragmented, politicised and weak welfare system, Lebanon is a fertile ground for the proliferation of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and particularly youth-led, grassroots organisations that challenge the existing status quo by devising novel ways of creating and delivering services. Therefore, how can we surface, structure, and scale youth-driven social innovation in service design and delivery, through participatory methods within contested spaces? With participatory action research (PAR) as an overarching methodology and by applying embedded ethnography, participatory design (PD), and service design methods, this thesis examines social innovation focussed on designing services across three distinct contexts of civic engagement. These include: 1) large-scale organisations in which the youth are positioned as beneficiaries; 2) small-scale youth-led organisations; and 3) the Lebanese social movement of 2019, encompassing a constellation of local and transnational grassroots. Findings reveal tensions when attempting to adopt participatory research methods within environments which lack inherent participatory attributes. Conditions needed for the creation of technology-supported social innovation for service delivery within such a complex context surface, and new forms of socio-technical infrastructures resulting from circumstances of emergency and uncertainty are highlighted. I contend that a hybrid model of design with top down and bottom-up elements is most suited to be able to structure and scale out social innovation especially while navigating both embedded and emerging issues of participation and power. Also, the design and adoption of digital technology within such contexts requires re-purposing familiar tools and building new social practices around them. Finally, due to the ongoing and evolving negotiations that need to take place as a result of circumstances on the ground, researchers ought to shift roles ranging from facilitators to activists when working within such contested spaces

Cyber Peace

Cyberspace is increasingly vital to the future of humanity and managing it peacefully and sustainably is critical to both security and prosperity in the twenty-first century. These chapters and essays unpack the field of cyber peace by investigating historical and contemporary analogies, in a wide-ranging and accessible Open Access publication