The Strength of Peripheral Networks: The Flow of Ideas From Crowds Into Society

• In Event: Communicating Dissent

Abstract

This paper traces how inequality became the most common frame associated with Occupy Wall Street, despite the fact that an analysis of topics mentioned and shared in the Occupy protest Twitter networks shows that inequality was not the most discussed issue. Our analysis shows that diverse public figures with large social media followings selected inequality as the core issue, and that as more public figures shared this frame, discussion of inequality moved from peripheral to more mainstream news organizations. These idea flow patterns suggest a social media network bridging process in which network size and diversity affect how ideas achieve broader distribution. This interactive, networked framing process suggests the “push and pull” of information across different networks, reflecting the underlying dynamics of popular “supply and demand” for selected ideas as they flow across different networks on their way into the broader public sphere.

Authors

• W. Lance Bennett, U of Washington

• Alexandra Segerberg, Stockholm U

• Yunkang Yang, U of Washington