This document discusses the use of social media in criminology. It begins by defining Web 2.0 as a platform where internet users can become co-developers and authors through social platforms and social media. Some examples of social media are mentioned, including weblogs, microblogging, social bookmarking, wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts, slides and videos. Arguments are made for using social media in criminology, including allowing for public criminology and open access, thinking outside the box, gaining attention, and motivating students. Specific examples are provided of blogs and how they can be used to visualize topics and promote transgressive thinking. Analytics are shown on page visits over time. Social media is said to help with promotion,

1. Criminology and
the Web 2.0
Dipl. Soz. Christian Wickert, M.A.
ASC 2011 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
November 19, 2011

2. Definition „Web 2.0“
• Tim O‘Reilly (2005) (http://www.oreilly.de/
artikel/web20.html)
• The web as a platform
• Internet user becomes co-developer/
author
• social platforms/ social media

3. Types of Social Media
• Weblogs
• Microblogging Systems (e.g. Twitter)
• Social Bookmarks (e.g. Digg, StumbleUpon,
Reddit, ...)
• Wikis
• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
• Podcast, Slides,Videos

4. Web 2.0‘s Social
Media

5. Weblogs
• allows comments
• highly customizable, flexible (Plugins)
• big user community

6. Wordpress
• http://wordpress.com/ - hosted blog
• http://wordpress.org/ - Download
option for self hosted blogs
• 17.000 plugins
• 1.500 themes

7. Wordpress
• http://wordpress.com/ - hosted blog
• http://wordpress.org/ - Download
option for self hosted blogs
• 17.000 plugins
• 1.500 themes

8. Microblogging
• Twitter has 200 million users
worldwide (BBC, 2011)
• articles limited to 140 characters
• PR & marketing tool
• rather information hub than
network
(non-reciprocal)

9. Microblogging
• Twitter has 200 million users
worldwide (BBC, 2011)
• articles limited to 140 characters
• PR & marketing tool
• rather information hub than
network
(non-reciprocal)

10. Social Bookmarking
• Reference system
• allows tagging
• services for scientific references
(CiteULike, Mendeley - also: reference
management application)

11. Wikis
• Hawaiian phrase for „quick“
• interlinked website (database)
• can be used as a tool for group
learning, group communication,
or documentation purposes
• colloborative work environment

12. Wikis
• Hawaiian phrase for „quick“
• interlinked website (database)
• can be used as a tool for group
learning, group communication,
or documentation purposes
• colloborative work environment

13. RSS
• Really Simple
Syndication
• standardized format for
web feeds (e.g. blog
entries)
• Feed Reader
• personal „newsletter“

14. RSS
• Really Simple
Syndication
• standardized format for
web feeds (e.g. blog
entries)
• Feed Reader
• personal „newsletter“

15. Multimedia
• Podcasts
• SlideShare
• YouTube EDU
• iTunes U

16. Four arguments
... for the use of social media in Social
Science/ Criminology
1. Public Criminology/ Open Access
2. Think outside the box
3. It‘s all about attention
4. Motivate students

17. • established 2007
• 730 postings
• in 30 categories
• by 80 authors
• Ø 1.600 visitors
per week

18. Public Criminology
Open Access
• Science should not be conducted
in an ivory tower
• influence the public discourse
about crime and crime control

19. Public Criminology
• Criminology as a „successful
failure“ (Loader & Sparks, 2011:11)
• While criminology as an academic discipline
is booming, the public reception of and
demand for criminological knowledge is
declining.

20. Think
outside
the

21. Two examples

22. Two examples
Visualizing terror in
advertisment and popculture
(August, 2011)

23. Two examples
Visualizing terror in
advertisment and popculture
(August, 2011)

24. Two examples
Be stupid, be transgressive
(May, 2011)
Visualizing terror in
advertisment and popculture
(August, 2011)

25. It‘s all about
Attentio

26. Pagevisits
50000
37500
25000
12500
0
0 9 0 10 11 1
ct r1 ct r c t1
-O -A
p
-O - Ap -O
09 v0
9 10 10 11
Ma
y
Ma
y ov ay
No N M

27. Promotion & Networking
• Google Page
Rank = Impact
factor
• Criminologia &
Krimpedia = PR 5
• provide useful
content: e.g. link
list, conference
calendar, user
forum etc.

28. Promotion & Networking
• Google Page
Rank = Impact
factor
• Criminologia &
Krimpedia = PR 5
• provide useful
content: e.g. link
list, conference
calendar, user
forum etc.

29. Motivate students
“People often say that motivation
doesn’t last. Well, neither does
bathing – that’s why we
recommend it daily.”
Zig Ziglar

30. Example 1
term paper on „Fiddling“ for a seminar on
„Public Criminology“

31. Example 2

37. Thank You
@
E-mail: c.wickert@uni-hamburg.de
Blog: www.criminologia.de
Twitter: @Kriminologie