Social Media:
An Inclusive Interdisciplinary Project
The Project
The advent of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin has
revolutionised the way people interact with each other in the 21st century
by placing at our fingertips the capacity to reach instantly a global network
of loved ones and strangers with the click of a button. These platforms help
individuals separated by distance to sustain family ties, the bonds of
friendship and romantic relationships. They enable businesses to reach a wider
market of consumers at the same time they offer a vehicle for mobilising grass
roots activism and support for philanthropic causes. They offer a means of
circulating artistic work, news and opinions outside of mainstream channels.
While social media enhance our ability to share information and engage in
personal expression, they have also raised a host of critical issues such as
the dynamics of online communication and digital citizenship, regulatory approaches,
(in)appropriate usage of platforms, technological development, the
opportunities and challenges of virtual commerce and the general relationship
between online and offline social environments.