Hot on the heels of the new book chapter that I mentioned in my previous post [4] comes another chapter (though technically this one was indeed published in 2009, while the previous one has been pre-dated to 2010 - such are the mysteries of academic publishing). And this chapter is another one of my German-language articles, too, this time on produsage (or Produtzung) and its implications for politics and political organisations - which may also make it a useful companion piece to my recent interview for Polar Magazin [5].

[6]The book, Soziale Netze in der digitalen Welt [6], edited by Christoph Bieber, Martin Eifert, Thomas Groß, and Jörn Lamla, follows on from a conference in Gießen at which I presented in 2008 [7], but my contribution, "Produtzung: Von medialer zu politischer Partizipation [8]", takes a considerably longer view of potential developments in political participation than the more strongly citizen journalism-focussed paper at the conference itself; it explores similar ideas to my 2008 journal article for Information Polity [9], in fact.

While the book covers considerably more ground than 'only' politics, as its title - social networks in the digital world - implies, I think it's the four chapters on social media and politics which will attract particular interest in Germany: after all, the country is experiencing a time of considerable political upheaval, with a new centre-right coalition government, a newly fractured left whose current state recalls the dark days of the bitter SPD/USPD split in the early Weimar Republic, and the emergence of new single-issue groups such as the German Pirate Party [10]. Social media will have a key role to play in attracting new members to these parties (or enticing old ones back to active membership) and in promoting their various causes.

Technorati : Produtzung [11], democracy [12], participation [13], politics [14], produsage [15], user-led [16]
Del.icio.us : Produtzung [17], democracy [18], participation [19], politics [20], produsage [21], user-led [22]