Globalisation And The Digital Social World

Question 1

Feminist perspective: empowerment

Answer 1

BATES
Women can now use digital forms of communication to raise awareness, by reporting cases of sexual harassment and misogyny in public ok specific platforms led to changes in law such as the voyeurism.
Everyday sexism project

Question 2

Feminist perspective: cyborg identity

Answer 2

HARROWAY
anonymity granted by many forms of digital communication, including virtual communities, allows people to transcend an oppressed identity

Second life game

Question 3

Gendered cyber hate

Answer 3

JANE
Violent and abusive language and threats against females online has become more prevalent

Joey Barton’s abuse of female sportsperson

Question 4

Feminist perspective: patriarchal apparatus

Answer 4

TUCHMAN
Growth in pornography websites has led to greater sexual objectification of women
limits women in certain social roles and suggests their achievements as less important than looks

Only fans

Question 5

Marxist perspective: monopoly of ownership

Answer 5

JENKINS

Digital media is owned and dominated by transnational corporations, sometimes referred to as FAANG and the owners subsequently use these platforms to shape and control the masses, manipulating how people think and behave, encouraging passive acceptance of capitalism.

Facebook, amazon

Question 6

Marxist perspective: consumer surveillance

Answer 6

COOKIES

companies sell products and services on the internet through the form of cookies so similar products appear on our social media platforms encouraging us to spend more money and increase their profits.

Question 7

Marxist perspective: Dumb down entertainment

Answer 7

MERTENS & D’HANENS

Social media platforms such as tiktok are a form of entertainment that provides no real threat to capitalism; helps control and occupy the behaviour of the masses

Reality tv shows are another example

Question 8

Marxist perspectives: Pendulum of power

Answer 8

JOYCE

Use of digital media swings back and forth between protesters and government; those in power do not allow protesters to gain ground using digital media for long

Black Lives Matter movement

Question 9

Postmodernist perspective: citizen journalism

Answer 9

CASTELLS

Greater democracy now exists due to information flowing horizontally as social media platforms like Twitter have enabled people to share stories, videos and experiences with each other.

People spread news like Southport riots

Question 10

Postmodernism perspectives: ongoing autobiography

Answer 10

HART

social network platforms allow people to constantly update and reconstruct their identity and present the best version of themselves daily; a record on how people see their lives

Instagram, photoshop

Question 11

Postmodernism perspective: positive surveillance

Answer 11

FOUCAULT

Social media acts as a form of surveillance to control and regulate behaviour; we are constantly being watched and monitored which reduces crime in contemporary society.

Southport riots police exposed people

Question 12

Postmodernist perspective: prosumers

Answer 12

RITZER

Through digital communications individuals are no longer simply consumers, but also producers - we create media content as well as consuming it.

Newspaper online

Question 13

Impact of digital forms of communication on identity (positive)

Answer 13

Ongoing autobiography and better version of themselves (Hart)
record of how people see themselves for the approval of others

empowerment (Cochrane)

presentation of self (Gardner and Davis)
accentuates attractive traits while downplaying unattractive ones, change identities according to diff apps, keep up with online impressions of themselves

Question 14

Impact of digital forms of communication on identity (negative)

Answer 14

Digital trail (Ellison)
difficult to remove and causes harm can lead to cyber bullying, online activities often leave visible traces which can be tracked, packaged, and shared.

Modern Day Problems (Gardner and Davis)
reduces times spent with others teenagers more narcissistic compared with previous generations.

Gendered cyberhate (Jane)

Question 15

Digital divide and impact: Age

Answer 15

Digital natives v digital immigrants (Prensky)

Silver surfers (Berry)

Mentally tethered (Turkle)

Toxic Childhood (Palmer)

Question 16

Digital divide and impact: Social class

Answer 16

Digital underclass (Helsper)

Dumbed Down Entertainment (Mertens & D’Haenens)

Increased social ties (Granovetter)
Provided an opportunity for individuals, linkedin

Question 17

Digital divide and impact: Gender

Answer 17

Gendered cyberhate (Jane)

Monopoly of ownership by men (Kramarae)

Empowerment (Cochrane)

Question 18

Impact of digital forms of communication on relationships (positive)

Answer 18

Instantaneous communication (Gardner & Davis)
Enable relationships as it closes the geographical and time barriers that people once faced. Young people hang out on social media

Increased social ties (Granovetter)

Cyborg Identity (Harraway)

Question 19

Impact of digital forms of communication on relationships (negative)

Answer 19

Alone together and anxiety (Turkle)
may physically be with our peers we’re glued to our devices lack of face to face communication

Quality of relationships (Turkle)
have friends on Facebook but its a superficial weak link diminishing true values of friendship

Screen rich bedroom culture (Chambers)

Question 20

Impact of digital forms of communication on culture, social change: for

Answer 20

Civil society approach (Castells)
Digital age people have moved away from expressing their political and social concerns through hierarchal and bureaucratic organisations and political parties but through online with like minded individuals

Digital activism/clicktivism (Castells)
Growing from of activism, enabled people with a muted voice to be heard (Jurgenson) online petitions, organising marches lead to voyerism offences act

Question 21

Impact of digital forms of communication on culture, social change: Against

Answer 21

Global divide & self promotion (keen)
UN say 90% of the worlds poorest countries do not have access to the internet, can’t have real change. Critical of digital tech vehicles of shameless self promotion

A hashtag is not a movement (Lee)
Digital activism can actually be ineffective and undermine upcoming movements for change. Promotes laziness or apathy especially among young people who have traditionally been active

Question 22

Impact of digital forms of communication on culture: cultural homogenisation

Answer 22

Cultural imperialism (Seabrook) and global consumer culture- supermarket of style (Polhemus)
Dominated by American and Western companies imposing 5ths values such as democarcy, individualism, consumerism, and materialism. Shop at sos results in cultural similarities

Secularisation (Bruce)

Computer programmes- Microsoft

Question 23

Impact of digital forms of communication on culture: cultural defence

Answer 23

Reverse colonisation (Giddens)- mexicanisation
Less powerful groups can show dominance. Mexicanisation of California significant because Mexico is poorer.

Access to digital media controlled by the state- great firewall
Citizens access to digital media controlled and censored, blocked all references to democracy can’t access wiki, Facebook, google

Alternative media channels- Al Jazeera
Network is restricted due to westernised ideas being damaging. Beloved YouTube and twitter caused Arab springs revolution. Crested their own news channel to control what people saw

Question 24

Impact of digital forms of communication on culture: cultural hybridity

Answer 24

Glocalisation (Martell)
Observes that globalisation in terms of cultural products involves two products
First, western media and cultural producers adapt their products so that it appeals to their local markets and audiences
Secondly, local cultures select appropriate elements of westernised global culture that pleases them