Blurring the boundaries - New social media, new social science?

Should social science researchers embrace social media and, if we do, what are the implications for our methods and practice?

We know that social media tools are increasingly being used to as part of the social sciences. The nature of these tools means that it is a fast changing environment, with new practices emerging all the time. Despite this, there is limited interaction between practitioners or synthesis of different methods. There are also few opportunities to reflect on the implications of social media tools for our subjects of study, methods and ethics. Our network of methodological innovation brings together academics, researchers and research stakeholders in a community of practice with members drawn from the cutting-edge of academia, market research and applied social research.

The network is led by NatCen Social Research, SAGE and the Oxford Internet Institute, and funded by the NCRM. It’s hosted over several different platforms, including Methodspace, Blogspot, Twitter and YouTube, and will run over twelve months.

The network begins with a launch event on the 29th of May and continues with five knowledge exchange seminars over the following months. Each event will be live streamed and attended by network members from across the UK and internationally.

http://www.natcen.ac.uk/nsmnss/