Esther Harper

4th Year, Russian Studies

Social media: a conversation towards social change

This presentation will present and analyse results of a period spent monitoring the charity page on the Russian equivalent of Facebook in October and November 2011. Using my findings as a backdrop, I will focus on the aspect of ‘conversation’ within social media using examples from my findings, and explaining how in these cases, the use of a social networking site has changed the lives of some individuals.This discussion about the ‘conversation’ that happens within social media will then be considered in tandem with some media and sociological theories. The crux of my discussion will be formed by some new angles on how social media has the potential to change society. Thought will then be given to the potential of my ideas in the future, and ultimately how the phenomenon of social networking as a whole could bring about positive macro-social change by transforming individual lives on a micro-social level.