This document discusses how networked individualism and social media are impacting alternative dispute resolution processes like peer mediation. It notes that people now function more as networked individuals with diverse, loosely connected networks rather than relying on tight-knit groups. Peer mediation tweets reveal critiques of the fairness of the process as well as struggles over the appropriate forum to resolve disputes. The implications discussed include the need for ADR programs to incorporate social media as an important backchannel and to consider expanded coaching and monitoring roles to address issues raised in the virtual space.

1. Networked
Individualism &
ADR/ODR Process
Reflections Through
the Lens of “Peer
Mediation” on Twitter
Bill Warters, Wayne State University
ODR Forum 2013

2. About Me
‣ Director, Wayne State University Master of
Arts in Dispute Resolution Program
BilltheCat
cartoonby
BerkeleyBreathed

3. Networked
Individualism
‣ Networked: The New Social
Operating System (2012, MIT Press)
by Lee Rainie and Barry Wellman
‣ Builds on Barry Wellman’s studies of
community networks and Lee Rainies’
PEW Internet surveys

4. The “Triple
Revolution”
Three Major Shifts in Social Organization
‣A Turn from Groups to Social Networks
‣The Proliferation & Differentiation of a
Personalized Internet
‣The Personal, Mobile and Always-
Accessible Nature of Information and
Communication

5. Networked Individuals
‣ Now People Function as Networked
Individuals more often, even at home,
with less emphasis on group
membership
‣ Social ties and events are Organized
Around the Individual rather than
around social units such as family,
neighborhood, workgroup or
organization
‣ Person, rather than Place, is the main
node. Cell phones and internet allow
realtime, person-to-person contacts to
supplant place-to-place communication

6. Diverse Networks of
“Nourishment”
‣ Now more folks meet their social, emotional,
and economic needs by tapping into loosely-
knit networks of diverse associates rather than
relying on tight connections to a relatively
small number of core associates
‣ Looser and more diverse networks require
more choreography and exertion to manage
‣ Often have varied networks that are
specialized: help with pets and plants; medical
advice; music or film opinions; gaming;
financial advice; shoulder to cry on; homework
help

7. We Still Have Close Ties
Very Close Ties Percentage
Compared to
1967
Kin
Friends
Neighbors
Workmates/
Schoolmates
50 about the same
41 up
4 down
5 ?
We adapt to frequent changes in our social
networks due to a social environment in flux

8. Social Network
Revolution
‣ New Media is the New Neighborhood
‣ The Lines Between Information,
Communication and Action have
Blurred
‣ We Fashion Complex Identities Moving
Among Relationships and Milieus
as per Networked - Chapter 2 - The Social Network Revolution

9. A Perspective Shift
“The shift to networked
individualism has been
accompanied by a shift in
thinking about how people
behave socially. Rather than
seeing people as driven by
individual norms or by the
collective activities of solidary
groups, social network analysts
focus on how people’s
connections affect possibilities
and constraints on their
behavior.”

10. Moore's Mediator Types
‣ Social Network Mediators - respected, known to both
parties, while perhaps not neutral, thought to be fair.
Their goal is to maintain group stability over time
‣ Authoritative Mediators - has some power over the
parties, wants outcome to stay within certain
parameters, but chooses to seek a mutual agreement
from parties rather than attempting to impose a
solution
‣ Independent Mediators - the North American
favorite, no significant relationship to the parties,
assumption of neutrality and impartiality
Time for a new hybrid?

11. Networks & Power
‣ Old adage: “Never pick a fight with
someone who buys ink by the barrel”
‣ New adage: “Never pick a fight with a
networked individual with strong internet
and mobile connections”
‣ In “The Rise of the Amateur” Douglas
Rushkoff comments: “The people have
crashed the gates of professionalism,
penetrating the formerly sacrosanct
boundaries protecting elites of all industries
from challenges from below.”

12. Observing Others
‣ Surveillance - we have a long history of those
in power tracking the behaviors of those with
less power
‣ Coveillance - with the rise of social media, we
now "watch" our peers in various ways - eg
"Facebook stalking" and monitoring of others
status
‣ Sousveillance - also on the rise is observation
from below of the more powerful people and
organizations (term coined by Steve Mann,
consumer advocate who started vlogging his
interactions with retailers)

13. Peer
Mediation
Twitter as a Lens to
Study ADR Processes

14. Peer Mediation
tweets collection
‣ Used ContextMiner.org to run a
daily search for “Peer Mediation” on
Twitter
‣ Gathered 421 days worth of tweets
# Includes
duplicates

15. Tweet Samples

16. Tweet Word Cloud(without hash tags)
‣ Used textisbeautiful.net with subset of relevant tweets

17. Concept Cloud

18. Some Themes
‣ Reasons for being
"sent" to peer mediation
‣ Using peer mediation
skills in other settings
‣ Perks of being in peer
mediation class (food,
flexible schedules)
‣ Pride getting picked for
training, credentials,
creating media for
prgm
‣ Prepping for or
reporting on a
mediation session
‣ Critiques of the fairness
of process or
participants
‣ #Highschoolmemories,
#schoolmemories
‣ Confessions: “abuse” of
the program - eg
getting out of class via
peer mediation slips,
gossiping
‣ Vocal resistance to
participating for various
reasons
‣ Mediation is for
younger people than us

19. Negative Sentiment Subset

20. Positive Sentiment Subset

21. Popular Hashtags

22. Tweeted photos

23. Social Networks & PM

24. Even More Tweets!
'neutral' peer mediation was hilarious today.
after the dumb bitch left, the mediators told
me im 100% right. #winning

25. Critical themes emerging
‣ Questioning the fairness of
process re racism or structural
inequality
‣ Struggles over the right forum for
the fuss
‣ Mediation tied to the discipline
system in counterproductive ways
‣ Mediation use is being “Weak”
‣ Back channel comments may be
impacting active cases

26. Some Tweeted Critiques
‣ Peer mediation made you wanna just whoop ass after
the meeting, not settle. Lying on me and stuff.
‣ I don't want my kid to go through peer mediation. You
live in the hood you show that bitch what the hood is
‣ I remember the peer mediation teacher in hs kicked
me out cuzz all that came out my mouth was I wanna
get the jews out of palestine.
‣ 'Peer mediation' is just a fancy term for lazy teachers.
‣ i had peer mediation w/ the counslors today for
cussing out this rascist white guy. supposedly i
threatned him -_- #WasteOfMyTime #PussyAss
‣ If you have a problem with peer mediation, where do
you go? WHERE DO YOU GO?

27. Fussing Over Forums
‣ teek said y'all need peer-
mediation...lol....but for real
y'all been too cool for dis
shit to cme to dis.!
‣ Only fake bitches do peer
mediation my nigga. I'm
WAY TOO REAL for that shit.
& ms.pray already know that
‣ We're fake because we
requested peer mediation?
Instead of fighting? And we
'jumped' her - please.
‣ #WhiteyTime peer
mediation is for bitches.
‣ After 16, your too old to be
fighting and pulling weave
out lol...like sit down and
have a discussion...peer
mediation sheesh
‣ That's just peer mediation.
When 2 people are fighting
they have a 'middle man' to
settle it. Its perfectly normal
‣ if 2omf have a problem with
each other, they needa
bring that the other way.
Don’t come over here w.
that. I'm not peer mediation.

28. Implications?
‣ “Call a friend” concept now involves “media
multiplexity” as we move through day or process
and channel shift our communications
‣ Social media provides an unevenly read (by
various ADR actors) backchannel that supports or
hinders dispute process adoption
‣ E-mediation referral box on twitter and other
social sites?
‣ Be more alert to “Absent presence” and “Present
absents”
‣ ADR Program advocates may need to incorporate
or at least expect additional “participants” active
in the virtual space
‣ Shift to include more ODR coaching roles and
active back channel monitoring?

29. Democratic Education
and ADR/ODR
‣ Shameless plug - Check out
http://democracyis.us

30. Thank you!
@bwarters on twitter
w.warters@wayne.edu