| |
Online Communities
Journal #5
November 18, 2002
Reviewed: H-Africa
http://www.h-net.msu.edu/logs
H-Africa is a “professional” historical online community,
which focuses on African history, culture, and African studies. Professional
“Africanists of all disciplines are encouraged to subscribe”
and participate in the discussion. Indeed, most participants appear to
be professional Africanists largely, but not exclusively historians. Both
men and women actively participate in the discussions. Barry Wellman and
Milena Gulia point out that, “the Net is only one of many ways in
which the same people may interact.” [1] Participants in this group
also interact at conferences, and seem to have some familiarity with each
other. Indeed, I found familiar names of scholars whom I have studied
their work or interacted with. While I am not part of the H-Africa community;
I immediately felt a sense of connection because of these familiar names,
and my interest in the topics of discussion.
This active site represents participants from a broad global community.
In one example, on November 12, 2002 there was a query about the term
“Camara Corporation,” initiated from the University of Sussex
in England. Replies came from the United States, France, and South Africa.
Typically, participants collectively posted over 100 entries per month.
In line with the findings of the Pew Internet Project, “the internet
helps many people find others who share their interests no matter how
distant they are, and it also helps them increase their contact with groups
and people they already know and it helps them feel more connected to
them.” [2]
The H-Africa group post query’s about resources for research projects
and course preparation, requests resource information to assist students
with scholarly projects, gathers information to compile small and large
bibliographies, and solicit suggestions for course readings. This online
environment allows scholars to admit that they have limited knowledge
on some subjects; this may not be as common in person-to-person interactions.
In one example, a professor seeking to assist her student on the topic
of Black women in Britain involved in abolition admits that she knows
“very little about this and would be grateful if somebody could
suggest books and articles which examine or touch the topic. Thanks!”
(November 14, 2002). Additionally, H-Africa participants post assorted
announcements (i.e. obituaries, job listings, call for conference papers,
new journals, research opportunities, and solicitation of donations to
service projects).
Discussions on H-Africa are not limited to questions and answers, or routine
announcements. Scholars engage in in-depth theoretical discussions on
a variety of topics. In one January 1997 several scholars discussed the
“state of Africa’s development in 1500.” On a different
note, scholarly debate sparked by articles or queries reflect larger,
on-going issues in the field. In the following examples the issue of race
and racism in the discipline were evidenced in entries as early as March
1995 to present. In March 1995 Mel Page, a white Africanist scholar, challenged
a Chronicle article written by Phil Curtin. The article entitled, “the
Ghettoization of African History” according to Page, criticized
university policies preferring Blacks to apply for African history jobs.
The Curtin article and Page’s comments sparked a major discussion
about race and racism in the field. Numerous scholars weighed in, some
challenging the core of Curtin’s thesis. In a more recent example
(October 31, 2002), Robert Cummings, a noted Africanist, requested information
about African accounts of contact with Europeans to help one of his students.
Cummings copied and pasted the student’s thesis, which led to a
discussion on race and racism. Specifically the student stated, “I
seek to establish whiteness as a form of psychological and social immaturity.”
Numerous participants forwarded helpful resource information, while some
challenged the “seriousness” of the project. One respondent,
chastised Cummings for even posting the question. His greeting of, “dear
Robert” suggests a more personal familiarity. In these examples,
the online communities allow participants to express their opinions on
controversial topics, and in detail not typically available in other forums.
Collectively, these online discussions provide opportunities not provided
by other media. Participant queries reach a broad network of scholars,
resulting in at least a few responses in a short period of time. Further,
Africanists who are new to the field have opportunities to share their
opinions, research, and suggestions with more established scholars. This
interaction provides a connection and sense of community between people
who might otherwise have no direct contact. Somewhat, equal opportunities
exist to contribute to, online initiated, scholarly projects. An extensive
annotated bibliography was compiled on “climate change in Southern
Africa” as a result of online community collaboration. Indeed, H-Africa
represents a “real” community. As Wellman and Gulia assert,
“like other forms of community, virtual communities are useful means
of both giving and getting social support.” [3] Collaboration, sharing
of resources, encouraging participation in related activities and conferences,
taking the time to engage in difficult discussions, examples of on-going
issues in the discipline on race, and sharing scholarly perspectives all
signal a strong and vibrant “real” community among H-Africa
participants.
[1] Barry Wellman and Milena Gulia, "Virtual Communities as Communities:
Net Surfers Don't Ride Alone," in Marc Smith and Peter Kollock, eds.,
Communities in Cyberspace (1999)
[2] Pew Internet Project, "Online Communities: Networks that nurture
long-distance relationships and local tie," (October 2001), at http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=47
[3] Wellman and Guila
HOME
|
|