Review: Christian Stegbauer (2001). Grenzen virtueller Gemeinschaft – Strukturen internetbasierter Kommunikationsforen [Boundaries of Virtual Communities—Structures of Internet-based Communication Fora]

Abstract

In his book, Christian STEGBAUER disputes the conventional wisdom concerning the disappearance of social frontiers and, therefore, structures, via computer-mediated communication. Theoretically well founded and analytically convincing, he takes the magic away from popular myths concerning disappearing structures. He shows new (and old) frontiers and, therefore, structures, in Internet-based discussion forums. STEGBAUER underpins his hypothesis by using network analysis. In all mailing lists he identifies comparatively stable centre-periphery and limited-period sub-group structures, which apply to selected themes. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0204133