New Social Movement for Public Goods in Online Space and Structural Strain

• In Event: 239 - Section on Communication and Information Technologies Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Methods and Technologies

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of online space in bringing about positive changes in the real world, using Network Text Analysis(NTA) with UCINET6. In order to accomplish this I researched the contents of blog posts on the cases of Cho Doo-soon which influenced the course of abolition of statutory limitations on sexual assault against children under age 13 and disabled people in Korea. Furthermore, I attempted to show that value added process (Smelser, 1962) applies to this course. Specifically, I am concerned with the structural strain and the generalized belief stages to examine what issues emerge from the blogs and how the contents of the posts change over time. The period of the investigation is from September 2009, when the case was first introduced by the media, to August 2011 before the petition campaign began. The results of EC score and Constra show that in that periods common words associated with child protection and prevention of sexual crime had greater influence than others. For two years previous to when the movement began, people in online space could know others' opinion or thinking regarding the Cho Doo-soon case. These shared interests in conflict and consciousness can be a prerequisite for starting a social movement. Above all, it is important that without the process of structural strain and generalized belief, the movement for law revision would be considered a temporary event. This is the main reason that the interests in Cho Doo-soon case did not diminish and brought about social change.

Author

• Sun Hyoung Lee, Yonsei University