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

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jemielniak, Dariusz, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wikipedia.

Organizational sociology.

Electronic encyclopedias--Social aspects.

Electronic encyclopedias.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (312 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Stanford, California : Stanford University Press, 2014.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

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. Have 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.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Prologue

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Wikipedia in Short: Numbers, Rules, and Editors

2. Formal Roles and Hierarchy: A Cabal That Rules the World

3. Conflict Resolution on Wikipedia: Why Die for Danzig?

4. Bureaucracy and Control: Big Brother Is Watching

5. Trust in People and Trust in Procedures: The Truth Is Out There

6. Between Anarchy and Bureaucracy: Wikimedia Governance

7. Leadership Transformed: The Pros and Cons of Benevolent Dictatorship

8. The Knowledge Revolution at the Gates

Appendix A: Methodology

Appendix B: Glossary of Wikipedia Slang

Notes

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780804791205

0804791201

OCLC:

879024607