Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice [Paperback]

MARTHA MCCAUGHEY (Editor), Michael D. Ayers (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415943205 | ISBN-13: 978-0415943208 | Publication Date: February 23, 2003 | Edition: 1

Cyberactivism is a timely collection of essays examining the growing importance of online activism. The contributors show how online activists have not only incorporated recent technology as a tool for change, but also how they have changed the meaning of activism, what community means, and how they conceive of collective identity and democratic change. Topics addressed range from the Zapatista movement's use of the web to promote their cause globally to the establishment of alternative media sources like indymedia.org to the direct action of "hacktivists" who disrupt commercial computer networks. Cyberactivism is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the impact of the Internet on politics today.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Here's a book with a plethora of information. I was surprised at a thing or two in this book that I wasn't aware of. I was also intrigued by some of the thought-provoking questions raised about the perceived separation between the 'real' world and the 'fake' cyber-world. Very intriguing indeed, especially for academics and theorists. I found Cyberactivism to be fascinating with many resources for those who may be thinking about or already using the net to increase their audience. -- Altar Magazine
This is one of the first books to back up theoretical assertions regarding online democracy with vivid and fascinating examples from the anti-globalization movement, ethnic and sexual identity websites, and hactivist and tactical media histories. Cyberactivism features great storytelling and it is refreshingly grounded, pragmatic, and accessible. As the Internet becomes co-opted by media industry giants, it is increasingly vital that pockets of resistance to media hegemony be identified and studied. This book is a fine primer for those interested in studying how activism has happened on the Internet, and how it might happen in the future. -- Lisa Nakamura, University of Wisconsin, Madison
It's about time we saw a concentrated examination of online activism in book form...Cyberactivism is a vital contribution to Internet Studies as well as a welcome antidote to the commercialization of the internet. By critically examining the political forces that shape the internet, this book brings to the foreground those elements of technology that constrain as well as enable individual and group action. -- Annette N. Markham, University of Illinois at Chicago
The contributors do not deal solely with the empowering aspects of the internet; the struggles they describe are poignant reminders of the politically volatile and overtly commercialized social structures we live in. Yet one completes the book feeling hopeful, realizing the extent to which the internet can engender the potential to resist hegemony in everyday life as well as across the globe. We know better than to believe that the internet is inherently democratic, but this book reminds us that the potential for collective action is strong. -- Annette N. Markham, University of Illinois at Chicago
There is nothing quite like this book. This wonderful collection of case studies calls attention to the use of the internet as a new stage in the history of social movements around the globe. Cyberactivism is must reading for activists and social movement scholars. -- Verta Taylor Professor of Sociology, University of California Santa Barbara
This is an important book for students of cyberactivism and cyberculture, and indeed might well appeal to many of the cyberactivists themselves. As one of the fist volumes on the topic, it is an important contribution to what is now a growing movement and literature on cyberactivism. As Silver notes, the book provides a 'blueprint' for future politics and research. -- New Media & Society --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Martha McCaughey is Associate Professor and Director of Women's Studies in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Virginia Tech. Mike Ayers is a doctorial student in Sociology at the New School for Social Research.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (February 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415943205
• ISBN-13: 978-0415943208
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #647,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Illustrations of Internet Activism in Use, March 22, 2004

By 

Sheldon Chang "freelance web developer" (Campbell, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice (Paperback)

If you like books such as Howard Rheingold's Smart Mobs but found it to be a little too thin on examples of actual application, this book would provide excellent follow-up reading. CyberActivisim: Online Activism in Theory and Practice is a comprehensive collection of eleven research articles that includes such diverse topics as captology (use of computers in persuasion), online communities, Cyberprotesting, "Social" network analysis of activist organizations reachable via the Internet, and the influence of online interaction on identity and collective identity.

If none of the subject areas just mentioned sound familiar to you, then this book isn't for you. I'd recommend a combination of the Rheingold book mentioned above along with the Duncan J. Watts book, Six Degrees.

The various research articles are authored by independent authors and vary considerably in quality of information and quality of presentation. Overall, the collective quality of the information in this book is excellent and there are only two or three articles that don't quite measure up to the standards of the rest of the articles. I was quite impressed with the breadth of subject matter covered in this book. The chapter on use of public domain pollution statistics for persuading online visitors to take action against environmental pollution was a particularly intriguing study illustrating the still obscure field of captology in encouraging activism.

This book is a must read for every sub-academic devotee to the fields of social networks, online communities, and online activism.

4.0 out of 5 stars Community, Collaboration, and the Free Exchange of Ideas, March 14, 2004

By 

roy christopher "frontwheeldrivedotcom" (Portland, OR, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice (Hardcover)

Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice illuminates many current vectors in online activism, never losing sight of the big picture. Martha McCaughy and Michael D. Ayers have assembled a stellar collection of scholarly essays. Sitting at the intersection of virtual and corporeal, theory and praxis, Cyberactivism observes the brief history, the current actions, and the future implications of online activism.

Dorothy Kidd uncovers the rise of Indymedia.org as a new communications commons. Sandor Vegh attempts to classify forms of online activism, and in doing so, provides a great overview of recent cyber actions worldwide. Lee Salter evokes Jürgen Habermas to analyze democracy and new social movements in light of the internet. Michael D. Ayers compares online and offline collective identities in feminist activists, while Joshua Gamson does the same for gay media. This far-reaching collection takes a serious look at the internet's overall impact on activism, its ramifications for specific groups, and its potential for the future of all concerned.

As Cyberactivism proves over and over in earnest, online activism isn't just about defacing corporate websites. It's about community, collaboration, and the free exchange of ideas -- three core ideals we could all do well to hold on to.