WK 7.2 GFC book review - Hanane Ben Abdeslam

The book is dealing with the interested of the cultural values shared by a community who volunteer working on projects and pursuing a clearly define goal. It involves a very dynamic process of social interaction to a bigger and smaller tensions and contradictions within the community. When the community is open as is the case with the Wikipedia creators, this social complexity is increasing with every new member, like me. On the other hand, many publications on this subject are rather superficial, not for the lack of effort, but for the difficulty of approaching the subject of study and the data that any research finds in this case. However, the author of this book proved that he is capable of overcoming all the indicated difficulties. The book does not simplify the findings and re-creates the complexity of human relations, whether individual or group, involved in an ambitious project as Wikipedia.

I was quite intrigued that many findings about the collaborative culture of Wikipedia are very similar to some produced by the research of communication within voluntary organizations. Moreover, I find it very interesting that these communities seemingly pursuing a rather clearly defined goal prove to be something rather different than one could guess from outside. I always belonged to those who distrusted Wikipedia and after taking this course I find it more and more interesting, especially the process of creating a dynamic tool for sharing communal knowledge.

Hanane Ben Abdeslam