Day 2 - Data analysis

I have now printed out the first batch of primary source data of the Facebook wall posts and have started to analyse using a simple coding system to help identify any patterns/themes. So far have been surprised that the level of conversation has been diverse, ranging from the angry, hysterical, mob-like responses that were so hyped up in the media to genuine fans of Nestle pleading with it to halt its perceived unethical practices. Some individual's have also shown a well informed understanding of the debate. The media portrayal of an unthinking, mechanistic, and mob-like protest has been somewhat exaggerated from what I can see so far...

Spent the morning reading an article which I think will be really important for structuring my final paper - R.Kelly Garrett's Protest in an Information Society: A Review of Literature on Social Movements and New ICT's which provides a useful framework for explaining the emergence and development of social movement theories across a wide range of disciplines such as sociology, political science and communication.

Notes and observations

Framing processes
Feel this is an important point to consider how Greenpeace was able to frame the issue or 'tell the story' in a way that was engaging and compelling to the public. The 'anti-globalisation' message is not a new theme and has been used in activist strategies in the past.

Levelling the playing field
Again this theme comes up when we discuss new media and social media technologies. "By lowering costs and increasing opportunities for communication, new ICTs (information and communication technology) provide the largely passive support base a low-intensity forum for issue-based communication, potentially strengthening their identification with the movement."

"Micro-contribution strategies"
This case study demonstrates that very small contributions can be effectively aggregated to achieve a net result. Garrett explains that in the past coordination costs have outweighed the benefits of these small contributions, but new ICTs can be used to lower costs. He mentions the 'click and give' websites that are used for fundraising as another successful example.

Intensity of conflict
Garrett discusses future diffusion patterns which are now possible due to rapid-fire social networking technologies and their ability to spread information across geographical boundaries. He says that Myers (2000) concludes that "cycles of mobilisation and response will be more rapid, causing issue support to wac and wane more quickly." and that other scholars have come to the same conclusion and surmises that ICT's may ultimately contributing to an intensification of conflict, something which has clearly been seen from the case study under examination.