Analyzing Political Activists’ Organization Practices: Findings from a Long Term Case Study of the European Social Forum

dc.contributor.authorSaeed, Saqib
dc.contributor.authorRohde, Markus
dc.contributor.authorWulf, Volker
dc.date.accessioned2020-06-06T13:07:13Z
dc.date.available2020-06-06T13:07:13Z
dc.date.issued40817
dc.description.abstractDesigning ICT support for transnational networks of social activists is a challenge due to diverse organizational structures, cultural identities, political ideologies, and financial conditions. In this paper we present empirical findings on ICT usage in the organizing process of the European Social Forum (ESF) covering a period of almost 3 years. The European Social Forum is a platform for political activists involved in the anti-globalization movement. During our data collection period, the 5th and 6th European Social Fora were held in Malmo (2008) and Istanbul (2010). The paper describes complex social practices in organizing ESF events. We use the term fragmented meta-coordination to denote this type of practice. Mundane IT applications, such as a mailing list and a content management system, play a central role in enabling different aspects of fragmented meta-coordination. The findings also indicate how lacking resources, organizational distribution, and technical limitations hamper the preparation process and reduce the transparency of political decision making. Our analysis highlights central organizational and technological challenges related to ICT appropriation in transnational networks of social activists.de
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10606-011-9144-0
dc.identifier.pissn1573-7551
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10606-011-9144-0
dc.identifier.urihttps://dl.eusset.eu/handle/20.500.12015/3945
dc.publisherSpringer
dc.relation.ispartofComputer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW): Vol. 20
dc.relation.ispartofseriesComputer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)
dc.subjectcommunity informatics
dc.subjectethnographic case study
dc.subjectmeta-coordination
dc.subjectpolitical organizing
dc.subjectsocial movements and ICTs
dc.subjecttechnology and the third sector
dc.titleAnalyzing Political Activists’ Organization Practices: Findings from a Long Term Case Study of the European Social Forumde
dc.typeText/Journal Article
gi.citation.endPage304
gi.citation.startPage265

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