Good deal! I just discovered that a book I have on hold at the library, Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Mediais available as a free downloadable PDF from the MIT press.
It's by danah boyd and other members of the Digital Youth Project.
It integrates "twenty-three different case studies-which include Harry Potter podcasting, video-game playing, music-sharing, and online romantic breakups," with "in-depth description of specific group dynamics with conceptual analysis."
I want to read it as part of my summer-long project exploring the history of communication. I decided I can't start writing a history until I have a better overview, so I can create some through-lines.
(Like, vampires?)
It makes me so happy that that exploration is my WORK this summer. I mean, I get paid!
Not much, but it's better than paying for the privilege, like I used to as a student.
Sitting around reading, hanging out talking, staring into space thinking.
It's a grand life.
