Netnography - presentation and content of each unit

Netnography is an adaptation of ethnography to the study of digital interactions. In this course, the ethnographic perspective underpinning Netnography is introduced together with the netnographic approach and different types of netnographic material. Ethnographic procedures adapted to digital settings, such as participant observations, interviews and taking field notes, are described together with Social Network Analysis. Employing both qualitative elements (such as participant observations) and quantitative (Social Network Analysis), learners will work hands-on with pre-selected datasets to do a small-scale netnographic study. This study will depart from questions connected to equality, cultural diversity and public health.

The course includes four units that are designed to gradually introduce the learner to Netnography as a research field and a methodology, but the units can also be studied separately. Each unit includes theoretical content and practical assignments that will allow the learner to develop a thorough understanding of Netnography and a useful skillset for doing netnographies.


Unit I: Introduction to Netnography
Unit 1 will introduce you to Netnography as a methodology and a research field. You will learn about key concepts and be introduced to the study of digital culture and digital communities through netnographic fieldwork.


Unit II: Reflexivity and ethics in Netnography
Unit 2 will introduce you to research ethics for studies in digital settings, the role of the researcher, and the legal perspectives netnographers need to be aware of.


Unit III: Collecting and producing material
In Unit 3, you will learn specific netnographic methods for collecting and producing material. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are introduced as you learn more about community-based Netnography and consociality-based Netnography.


Unit IV: Analysing material
Unit 4 will introduce you to analytical procedures useful for analysing netnographic material for qualitative and quantitative analyses.

Course developers:

Fredrik Hanell, Senior Lecturer in Library and Information Science, Linnaeus University, Sweden (https://lnu.se/en/staff/fredrik.hanell/). Fredrik holds a PhD in Library and Information Studies, and his research and teaching focus on media and information literacy, library studies and digital methods.

Pernilla Jonsson Severson, Associate Professor in Media and Communication Studies, Linnaeus University, Sweden (https://lnu.se/en/staff/pernilla.severson/). Pernilla Severson holds a PhD in Media and Communication Studies, and her research and teaching focus on media development (media innovations), participatory practices and democratic values, media professions and digital methods.

Contributors:

Ahmad Kamal (https://lnu.se/en/staff/ahmad.kamal/) provided valuable support during the latter stages of the OER-development. Marwan Hassan (shakuhachi-shop.de) significantly edited and formatted the OER content.