Web 2.0, complex networks and social dynamics

Abstract

With the aim of contextualising this special issue of Contemporary Social Science, a brief overview of the relationship between the Web 2.0 and social dynamics is presented. It is argued that the Web tends to destabilise the social structure, radically re-organising human culture, identities, and socialising. It also calls for reflexive reconsideration for many of the dual oppositions that have traditionally been worked with, such as public/private, virtual/real, consumption/production, and so on. This overview critically explores and evaluates the impact that the Web 2.0 is having on a wide range of social processes by turning its analytic focus on both theoretical and methodological advances. The latter refers to the demonstration of the exponential growth of political blogging in Greece, leading to a major change in information exchange, as well as to a computer simulation of both Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 networks. It is vividly shown that what mostly defines Web 2.0 and differentiates it from Web 1.0 is the explosion of user-generated content (a fundamental bottom-up process). This amazingly reinforces social dynamics and provides a stable flow of unpredictable creativity, innovation and adaptation.