Doctoral Dissertation Research: Globalization and Local Response: The Place-Based Community Computer Networking Movement in the United States

博士论文研究关注的是在当今不断变化的技术环境中“社区”的构建方式。长期以来，社区的建设一直与技术尤其是计算机技术的变化联系在一起，本研究对信息时代社区变化的意义进行了探讨。人们认为，传统的地方社区形式已被削弱，而社区网络正被用作振兴社区和对抗全球化对地方的影响的工具。这些地方社区网络不同于其他无地点的虚拟环境，因为它们明确提供地方或区域信息以及讨论地方问题的免费或低成本电子论坛。此外，它们提供了与区域和全球信息的联系，这些信息可用于确定或提供当地情况的背景，并解决当地问题。该研究将评估网络使用的地点和社区的特定含义如何有助于增强或限制社区对全球化感知影响的反应潜力。将对各种社区网络运动进行总体调查，随后将对四个城市的社区网络活动家进行深入访谈。研究结果对于理解在信息时代，社区的新的、全球性的意义是否正在演变，从而挑战基于自足和内向视角的对地方的绝对理解，具有重要意义。

STAEHELI, L.A. and LONGAN, M.W. The doctoral dissertation research is concerned with the manner in which `communities` are constructed in today's changing technological environments. The construction of community has long been associated with changes in technology, especially computer technologies, and this study interrogates the changing meaning of community in the information age. It is thought that traditionally local forms of community have been weakened and that community networks are being used as tools for community revitalization and for countering the perceived effects of globalization on place. These local community networks differ from other placeless virtual environments in that they provide explicitly local or regional information and free or low-cost electronic forums for discussion of local issues. Moreover, they provide links to regional and global information that can be used to situate or provide context for local circumstances and to solve local problems. The study will assess how particular meanings of place and community used by networks help to empower or limit the potential of community responses to perceived effects of globalization. A general survey of various community networking movements will be conducted, and this will be followed by in-depth interviews with community networking activists in four cities. The results of the research are important to understanding whether new, globally-informed meanings of community are evolving in the information age and thereby challenging absolute understandings of place based on self-contained and inward looking perspectives.