The Map and the Territory - Russian Social Media Networks and Society"

This presentation uses Russian social media as a lens for exploring the relationship between individuals, society and online communication technologies.  Alexanyan proposes a framework for comparative international analysis that leverages three interconnected elements – history, network structure and media ecology.  She examines Russia’s social media ecology and its relationship to Russia’s broader socio-political environment on the basis of this framework.  This includes a case study and social network analysis of Russian social network platforms, articulating the various factors that have influenced the specific evolution and network structure of social media in Russia, its role within the broader online and traditional media ecologies, and its implications for Russian society and politics in general.

Speaker Bio

Karina Alexanyan’s research focuses on global social media, with an emphasis on Russia. She is currently a post doctoral scholar at mediaX at Stanford University, and an affiliate of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society and the Social Media Research Foundation.  Alexanyan received her PhD in Communications from Columbia University in 2013, an M.A. in Communication from NYU and a B.A. in Linguistics and Modern Languages (French and Russian) from the Claremont Colleges.

Recent publications include a chapter on Citizen Journalism in Russia in "Citizen Journalism-Global Perspectives," a chapter on Russian Blogging in “International Blogging – Identity, Politics and Networked Publics,” and articles on  Russian Social Networks in the journal Digital Icons, and in the Russian Analytical Digest.  In 2008, with the support of Harvard’s Berkman Center and Columbia’s Harriman Institute, Karina organized the "RussiaOnline" Conference at Columbia University, bringing together scholars and practitioners from Russia, the U.S. and Europe.

This event is part of the Liberation Technology Seminar Series.