See notes on written assignments.
In this assignment, you will apply some key concepts from Goffman to some form of computer-mediated communication (broadly defined). The purpose is to see how Goffman helps you to understand the uses of, and people's reaction to, some new method of communication, AND how this new application illuminates, supports, or offers COUNTER-evidence to Goffman's arguments.
1. Select some form of computer-mediated communication AND a particular setting of its use -- remember that we have been discussing how behavior is situated, specific to a place, time, and conditions, so you need to situate your discussion by relating it to a specific case. For example, you might discuss SIMS students webpages; the use of email within a specific group; a group of mutually-referencing blogs and their authors and readers; a work group that uses some form of groupware, or the use of Google by particular kinds of users for specific purposes.
2. Pick some part(s) of Goffman's discussion, some of his concepts, that will be useful in understanding this group and their behavior. Briefly describe to the reader which of Goffman's ideas and terminology you are using. (This is, not only to explain to the reader what Goffman says as a basis for your discussion, but to demonstrate to me that you have read and understood Goffman.)
3. Use Goffman's ideas to explain this community's use of this technology -- its uses, benefits, and limits, the ways in which this group is accepting of or resistant to the technology, the ways that they have changed their behavior, how Goffman helps you to understand certain aspects of their behavior, and so forth.
For example, the combination of the Web and Google has made it much more difficult to maintain "front regions" and "back regions" for activity documented on the Web, since any reader can find anything on the Web. You might write about how this has affected a particular group's use of the web, or their efforts to differentiate "front regions" from "back."
It's possible that you will find that this new application suggests limits to or problems with Goffman's analysis. You may make this argument, if need be, but remember that you need to justify your arguments. Whatever argument you make, remember to root it firmly in Goffman. This is NOT your opinion, this is your effort to apply Goffman to this case.
Due Thursday, Nov 13. Approximately 4 pages.