Common knowledge? : an ethnography of Wikipedia / Dariusz Jemielniak.

Author
Jemielniak, Dariusz [Browse]
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/​Created
  • Stanford, California : Stanford University Press, [2014]
  • ©2014
Description
xvi, 293 pages ; 24 cm

Availability

Copies in the Library

Location Call Number Status Location Service Notes
Firestone Library - Stacks AE100 .J46 2014 Browse related items Request

    Details

    Subject(s)
    Summary note
    "The first ethnography of Wikipedia's organization, governance, and power structure, "Common Knowledge" argues that many criticisms of Wikipedia have been rooted in misconceptions, spread by outsiders who overlook its true strengths and weaknesses. This book examines how Wikipedia does and does not work from the inside out. With an emphasis on peer-produced content and collaboration, Wikipedia exemplifies a departure from traditional management and organizational models. This iconic "project" has been variously characterized as a hive mind and an information revolution, attracting millions of new users even as it has been denigrated as anarchic and plagued by misinformation. Has Wikipedia's structure and inner workings promoted its astonishing growth and enduring public relevance? In Common Knowledge?, Dariusz Jemielniak draws on his academic expertise and years of active participation within the Wikipedia community to take readers inside the site, illuminating how it functions and deconstructing its distinctive organization. Against a backdrop of misconceptions about its governance, authenticity, and accessibility, Jemielniak delivers the first ethnography of Wikipedia, revealing that it is not entirely at the mercy of the public: instead, it balances open access and power with a unique bureaucracy that takes a page from traditional organizational forms. Along the way, Jemielniak incorporates fascinating cases that highlight the tug of war among the participants as they forge ahead in this pioneering environment."--BLACKWELL'S.
    Bibliographic references
    Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-280) and index.
    Contents
    • Wikipedia in short : numbers, rules, and editors
    • Formal roles and hierarchy : a cabal that rules the world
    • Conflict resolution on Wikipedia : why die for Danzig?
    • Bureaucracy and control : Big Brother is watching
    • Trust in people and trust in procedures : the truth is out there
    • Between anarchy and bureaucracy : Wikimedia governance
    • Leadership transformed : the pros and cons of benevolent dictatorship
    • The knowledge revolution at the gates.
    ISBN
    • 9780804789448 ((cloth ; : alk. paper))
    • 0804789444 ((cloth ; : alk. paper))
    • 9780804797238 ((pbk. ; : alk. paper))
    • 0804797234 ((pbk. ; : alk. paper))
    LCCN
    2013047786
    OCLC
    865452353
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