New Media & Communication Paradigms: Intersections of Social and Technological Progress
Social Sciences
Community Studies Program
This thesis is an attempt to articulate and analyze the operational contradictions between the
promises and practices of online communication efforts of community-based non-profits. I make
no claims as to how to resolve this contradiction, to bridge the gap between technological
optimism and the limited normative practices of these organizations. Instead, this writing takes a
multifaceted approach in which I aim 1) to describe the differing theoretical approaches to the
utilization of information and communication technologies for civic and social goals; 2) to
identify the major challenges faced by the Santa Cruz-based non-profit Barrios Unidos in their Internet communication practices over the past several years; and 3) to analyze normative definitions of online interactivity and communication for non-profits and other civic organizations.
