The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0
Social media, as the heart of Web 2.0, is a relatively novel theoretical notion and social phenomenon, pertaining to a long series of academic subjects, such as digital culture, virtual communication, e-democracy, technological convergence, and online interactivity. Arguably, one of the most useful...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group
2014-04-01
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Series: | tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/566 |
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author | Christos Boikos Konstantinos Moutsoulas Charalambos Tsekeris |
author_facet | Christos Boikos Konstantinos Moutsoulas Charalambos Tsekeris |
author_sort | Christos Boikos |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Social media, as the heart of Web 2.0, is a relatively novel theoretical notion and social phenomenon, pertaining to a long series of academic subjects, such as digital culture, virtual communication, e-democracy, technological convergence, and online interactivity. Arguably, one of the most useful tools to adequately interpret and analyze this phenomenon is Critical Theory. The present article aims to comprehensively discuss and reflexively elaborate on the complex interrelationship between Critical Theory and Web 2.0 developments. This mainly involves the historicization of the relevant concepts and the identification of crucial sociological, philosophical and interdisciplinary issues that strongly demonstrate the essential ontological complicity between the real and the virtual. In addition, the analytical emphasis on recent social movements, such as the Arab Spring, reflexively depicts the new media as critical media, a characteristic feature that somehow stands in contrast to the participation of the internet in the circulation and accumulation of the Capital. Through contemporary Web’s inherent paradoxes, it is eventually shown that the social potential of the new media can indeed be realised, so that the internet serves the people and the public good. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:00:49Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-fe8016a7225849b4b912d0cab3f2cb7d |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1726-670X 1726-670X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:00:49Z |
publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
publisher | Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group |
record_format | Article |
series | tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique |
spelling | doaj.art-fe8016a7225849b4b912d0cab3f2cb7d2023-09-02T15:42:50ZengPaderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research GrouptripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique1726-670X1726-670X2014-04-0112140541210.31269/triplec.v12i1.566566The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0Christos BoikosKonstantinos MoutsoulasCharalambos TsekerisSocial media, as the heart of Web 2.0, is a relatively novel theoretical notion and social phenomenon, pertaining to a long series of academic subjects, such as digital culture, virtual communication, e-democracy, technological convergence, and online interactivity. Arguably, one of the most useful tools to adequately interpret and analyze this phenomenon is Critical Theory. The present article aims to comprehensively discuss and reflexively elaborate on the complex interrelationship between Critical Theory and Web 2.0 developments. This mainly involves the historicization of the relevant concepts and the identification of crucial sociological, philosophical and interdisciplinary issues that strongly demonstrate the essential ontological complicity between the real and the virtual. In addition, the analytical emphasis on recent social movements, such as the Arab Spring, reflexively depicts the new media as critical media, a characteristic feature that somehow stands in contrast to the participation of the internet in the circulation and accumulation of the Capital. Through contemporary Web’s inherent paradoxes, it is eventually shown that the social potential of the new media can indeed be realised, so that the internet serves the people and the public good.https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/566Social MediaCritical TheoryDigital LabourSocial DynamicsVirtual CommunitiesWeb 2.0Arab SpringInternet Studies |
spellingShingle | Christos Boikos Konstantinos Moutsoulas Charalambos Tsekeris The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique Social Media Critical Theory Digital Labour Social Dynamics Virtual Communities Web 2.0 Arab Spring Internet Studies |
title | The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 |
title_full | The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 |
title_fullStr | The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 |
title_full_unstemmed | The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 |
title_short | The Real of the Virtual: Critical Reflections on Web 2.0 |
title_sort | real of the virtual critical reflections on web 2 0 |
topic | Social Media Critical Theory Digital Labour Social Dynamics Virtual Communities Web 2.0 Arab Spring Internet Studies |
url | https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/566 |
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