Welcome! This site is intended for exchanging ideas on the topic of information technologies and their role in global politics. It is part of an online module in the M.A. International Relations Online Program at the Free University of Berlin.

The central theme of the module concerns the nature of global governance in a networked information environment. We will begin by discussing neorealists and neoliberals' perspectives on the role of the media and information technologies in international relations. We will then define collective action and identify global efforts of such action in the form of transnational advocacy networks and the role of epistemic networks. We will conclude our module exploring the idea that the rise of global information flows has created a new system of governance, one that is parallel to the state system.

May 29, 2012

Collective action and information technologies



Since we are missing a blog entry I decided to post one myself.

This week we read about collective action and social movements in a broader sense with a short but informative discussion on how information technologies challenge some of the theoretical premises of collective action. Below you will find some ideas and questions I would like you to comment on. Of course no need to address them all.

What is collective action according to Ostrom and Olson? Bimber et al. offer a modification to that definition, do you agree with it? 
 
I identify at least three common themes in the study of contentious politics – why individuals join, the nature of the organization, and the outcome of the action. Discuss information technologies’ potential influence on each of these themes.

Ostrom talks about the fixed constrains in the prisoner’s dilemma that preclude policy-makers from thinking about creative ways to alter the outcome of the game. What is the effect of the internet on these constrains?

It seems that information sharing is key in the realm of collective action, but the advancement of information technologies also introduce issues such as credibility of information and information overload, how do you think these two issues effect local and transnational activism?
 
 A key aspect in Tarrow’s work is political opportunity structure, which means that certain characteristics of the political structure and institutional arrangements within a state impact the emergence and effectiveness of social movements. Can or should we consider the development of information technologies as part of the political structure? 
 
 Tarrow argues that transnational activists are rooted in local conditions and are motivated by local concerns. Livingston, the author of our module, disagrees? What do you think?
 
With the internet as a mobilizing tool, do we still need interpersonal interactions to promote collective action?
 
 
Looking forward to our discussion, 
 Na'ama 


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