Foot, Kirsten - Schneider, Steven M.
Abstract
This paper is grounded in mobilization theory and focuses on
the online
structure for social and political action created on the Web
in the
aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Our
analysis of online
structure and the actions it enables is guided by three
questions: (1) Which
types of site producers responded to the attacks via their
sites? (2) What
kinds of social and political actions did Web sites
facilitate? (3) What
kinds of site producers were most likely to facilitate what
kinds of
actions? Our analysis of sites produced by a wide range of
entities suggests
seven types of user action that were facilitated by the
September 11 Web
sphere. We identify these zones of action as (1) obtaining
information, (2)
providing information, (3) obtaining assistance/support, (4)
providing
assistance/support, (5) personal expression, (6) accessing
others'
expression, and (7) engaging in political advocacy. We
present exemplars of
the online structures that facilitated each action, and
suggest factors
associated with the emergence of these structures.