Date: Wednesday, November 7; 4:00p - 5:00p

Location: 301 College Ave Seminar Rm.

Note: 3:45 - 4:00p will be our reception. Following the talk, the reception will continue from 5:00 - 5:15p.

Abstract:

How do we understand mediated interaction and how can interactional sociologists such as Erving Goffman help us understand the world of Web 2.0? I show that one of Goffman's interactional classics on "role distance" is based partly upon the analysis of a technological mediated system (the merry-go-round). I will go on to argue that S&TS approaches such as from Bruno Latour and interactional sociology ideas from Thomas Luckmann are not alone adequate to understand the online world and we need both S&TS and interactional sociology. I will draw upon my ongoing study of online music communities (ACIDplanet.com) to show how web based interaction involves a form of copresence, incrementality, and reciprocality which enable norms and obligations to be built up amongst participants.

Bio:

Trevor Pinch is Professor of Sociology and Professor of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University. His most recent book is _Living in the Material World_ coedited with Richard Sweberg, MIT Press (forthcoming). His _Dr Golem: How to Think about Medicine_ (with Harry Collins) is about to appear in paperback with Chicago University Press.

For more information, please contact Phoebe Sengers.

10-22-2007 Sarah