Det digitale imperativ: En epistemologisk bestræbelse

I denne artikel argumenteres der for, at forskning inden for feltet tredje-bølge digital humaniora er væsentlig for vores forståelse af, hvordan de sociale netværksmediers digitale infrastrukturer og datastrømme – status-opdateringer, selv-profilering, mikro-koordinering, mikro-blogging og vlogging – i stigende grad påvirker menneskelige relationer og ‘the structure of feeling’ (Berry, 2012). Som led i at underbygge dette synspunkt analyseres fire emergente temaer baseret på Facebook-data: Facebook-venner, Events, Self-profilering og Stalking. Analyserne tager afsæt i data, der er tilvejebragt gennem kondensering af design-konceptformuleringer fra 73 unge studerende (alder 20-24) som led i et universitetskursus inden for feltet digital humaniora (2013). To begrebspar er centrale for analyserne: ‘Forbundethed og forbindelser’ (van Dijck, 2013) og ‘synlighed og overvågning’ (Bucher, 2012). Der identificeres en række spændingsfelter mellem interpersonelle normer og påvirkningerne fra Facebook-datastrømme i forhold til: Venskab, troværdighed, ansvarlighed, prestige, selvpromovering og fælles interesser. Det konkluderes, at en væsentlig erkendelsesteoretiske bestræbelse for forskning inden for tredje-bølge digital humaniora må være at producere viden, der kan bidrage til vores individuelle såvel som kollektive forståelse af de mange spændingsfelter, der opstår i datastrømmenes og de menneskelige relationers gensidige påvirkning. Denne bestræbelse er sammenfattet i artiklens titel ‘det digitale imperativ’.In this article, it is argued that third wave digital humanities research is essential for our understanding of how the data streams of status-updates, self-profiling, micro-coordination, micro-blogging, and vlogging as produced by the digital infrastructures of social networking sites increasingly impact human relations and the ‘structure of feeling’ (Berry, 2012). Four emergent themes are analysed based on Facebook data produced by 73 young participants (ages 20-24) in a digital humanities university course (2013). The themes are: Facebook Friends, Events, Self-Profiling and Stalking. Two concept pairs guide the analyses: ‘connectedness and connectivity’ (van Dijck, 2013) and ‘visibility and surveillance’ (Bucher, 2012). Tensions are identified between interpersonal norms and the impact of Facebook data streams relative to friendship, credibility, accountability, prestige, self-promotion, and mutual interest. It is concluded that the epistemological endeavour as summarized by the title ‘the digital imperative’ is to produce knowledge that will help us advance individual as well as collective awareness of the complex and intricate interrelations of data streams and human relations