The Medium Internet – Harming or Promoting Social Capital?

Hausarbeit , 2008 , 9 Seiten , Note: 1,33

Sozialwissenschaften allgemein

While writing this essay, it became clear to me that our upcoming generation can hardly
imagine how this world looked like, before the triumph of the internet about ten years ago
turned our information-based society upside down. Internet has taken up an enormous speed
of growing, that justifies labeling it the Super Medium. Participation is easy and cheap; there
is not much technology or expertise necessary, while at the same time traditional forms of
media, such as print media, letters, or the telephone are all combined and readily available.
Pertaining to the course background of this paper, the networking component of this medium
obviously plays a central role. The Internet facilitates finding partners for any form of
interaction. Networking, furthermore, is possible on the societal and the individual level
which is a unique feature. These and many more characteristics call for a more detailed
examination of the internet with regards to Social Capital. Widespread research about this
relation has already been conducted, yet outcomes and interpretations vary drastically.
This paper will bring more order in this conflicting field by tackling the question whether the
internet has a positive or negative impact on Social Capital. Thus, first a precise definition of
Social Capital is provided. Followed by this, positive arguments about the internet are
presented and underpinned by existing research findings. The third section then focuses on
major refutations of the internet propagating Social Capital. Ultimately, a concise comparison
of both 'sides' shows that the positive impact of the internet overall prevails.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction - The Super Medium
• Defining Social Capital
• The merits of the Internet for Social Capital

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the impact of the internet on Social Capital, exploring whether it has a positive or negative effect. The paper first defines Social Capital, then presents arguments for the internet's positive impact, followed by counterarguments. Ultimately, it concludes that the positive impact of the internet on Social Capital prevails.

• Defining Social Capital and its various interpretations
• The internet's role in facilitating communication and information sharing
• The internet's potential to create new public spheres and social networks
• The impact of the internet on social equality and access to diverse social relationships
• The role of the internet in collective action and participation

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction establishes the internet's significance as a "Super Medium" and its influence on social interactions. It then outlines the paper's objective to analyze the internet's impact on Social Capital.

The second chapter defines Social Capital, drawing upon various scholars' interpretations and highlighting the importance of its functional dimension as a facilitator of action within social structures. It emphasizes the internet's role in information channels, making it relevant to the discussion.

The third chapter explores the merits of the internet for Social Capital. It acknowledges concerns about virtual networks and potential atomization of society, but argues that the internet's benefits outweigh its drawbacks. The chapter highlights the internet's creation of new public spheres, access to diverse social relationships, promotion of social equality, and facilitation of collective action and participation.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Social Capital, internet, networking, public sphere, social equality, collective action, information channels, communication, online communities, social relationships.

• Hochschule: Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH
• Note: 1,33
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2008
• Seiten: 9
• Katalognummer: V175314
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640964567
• ISBN (Buch): 9783640964826
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: medium, internet, harming, promoting, social, capital