Networked Sociability and Individualism: Technology for Personal and Professional Relationships

Citation

du Preez, M. (2013), "Networked Sociability and Individualism: Technology for Personal and Professional Relationships", Online Information Review, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 149-150. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521311311702

The way in which people communicate and use ICTs has changed drastically over the past two decades. These changes can be attributed to the new communication technology developments which offer various new environments and tools for managing personal relationships. Networked Sociability and Individualism explores some of the main characteristics of digital social networking tools. The topics explored include the shift from communities to networks, networked individualism and new patterns of sociability.

According to Comunello, the concept of community has a long theoretical history which, in contemporary societies, needs to be understood in a “weak” sense as referring to a culture and a set of ideas rather than a physical place. She also believes that the concept of “virtual community” can be somewhat misleading. This is because communities, irrespective of whether they are online or offline, can arise as specific patterns that are not necessarily understood as a dominant form of sociability. Furthermore, the concept of “networks” does not necessarily refer to technological tools or the use thereof. The concept also refers to social patterns which gives rise to social network analyses of social relations and social structures. In these studies researchers aim at identifying recurrent network patterns, that is, social structures that are dominated by a small number of interconnected hubs.

Although social networking appears to be a powerful environment for networked sociability‐related research, a wider range of phenomena also needs to be addressed. With this in mind, the theoretical chapters in the first of three sections of Comunello's book address specific aspects of networked sociability and individualism, as well as some theoretical and conceptual concerns. The aspects addressed range from collaborative practices in wiki environments to a reconsideration of the online versus offline dichotomy in networked spaces. Four chapters make up this section. These chapters reflect on the emergence of social media as collaborative tools, analyse social interactions in digital environments, question the predominance of the organisational perspective in “surveillance studies” and discuss research on Web 2.0 audiences.

The second section reports on new research trends in social network sites (SNS), relational patterns and identity performances. Each of the nine chapters in this section proposes empirical research on networked sociability and individualism. Social media usage practices in different institutional contexts forms the focus of Section 3, which analyses people's reliance on digital media and SNS for political information. Public communication strategies on Facebook are also explored. By sharing the conceptual framework of networked sociability and individualism, these chapters offer new perspectives on both theoretical concerns and research practices.

Networked Sociability is a multidisciplinary resource. It contributes to existing knowledge on the impact of digital technology on people's everyday lives. Despite the fact that most of the research focuses on the North American context, this book has an international focus and analyses various international contexts. Networked Sociability is a valuable resource for all interested in social networking sites and the impact these sites have on people's daily lives.