Mobile Communication in Everyday Life

Maren Hartmann, LL.M., ist Rechtsanwältin und Attorney-at-Law in München.Dr. Joachim R. Höflich ist derzeit als freier Wissenschaftler tätig.

The mobile phone has become an integral part of our everyday life communication - in this sense a domestication of a 'nomadic' medium has taken place. For the very reason that the telephone has left its fixed home environment, it requires us to take an 'ethnographic view' in describing both this development and the changes taking place therein. "Mobile Communication in Everyday Life" takes a closer look at the mobile phone as an object of inquiry in the tradition of the so-called media ethnography. Consequently, the benefits and limitations of such research designs are the focus of the book. Some contributions focus on the tension between private and public communication, others on cultural dimensions. Overall, the book presents a range of the most up-to-date research in the field of mobile communication.

The mobile phone has become an integral part of our everyday life communication - in this sense a domestication of a 'nomadic' medium has taken place. For the very reason that the telephone has left its fixed home environment, it requires us to take an 'ethnographic view' in describing both this development and the changes taking place therein. Mobile Communication in Everyday Life takes a closer look at the mobile phone as an object of inquiry in the tradition of the so-called media ethnography. Consequently, the bene- fits and limitations of such research designs are the focus of the book. Some contributions focus on the tension between private and public communication, others on cultural dimensions. Overall, the book presents a range of the most up-to-date research in the field of mobile communication.

The Authors

Joachim R. Höflich is a professor at the University of Erfurt, Germany. He is also a leading expert in the field of mobile technologies and interpersonal communication. Joachim has published several books on the topic in German as well as many articles in English.

Maren Hartmann joined the University of Erfurt in 2004 (and can soon be found at the University of Bremen). Her research interests include media ethnographies, cybercultures and the domestication concept. She has published books as well as several articles on these topics.

1;Contents;6
2;Introduction: The ethnographic view;12
2.1;Structure ;16
2.2;Dedication;18
2.3;References;18
3;Places of Life - Places of Communication: Observations of Mobile Phone Usage in Public Places;20
3.1;Introduction: mobile communication and social arrangements;20
3.2;Mobile communication in the public sphere;24
3.3;Observations on the Piazza Matteotti;28
3.4;Behaviour on the piazza;32
3.5;Concluding remarks;47
3.6;References;49
4;Photos and Fieldwork: Capturing Norms for Mobile Phone Use in the US;56
4.1;Background;57
4.2;Photos as means of communication;57
4.3;Photos as data collection;60
4.4;Ur-form;63
4.5;Photography of mobile phone use;65
4.6;Strategies: decoys and distance;65
4.7;Mobile phone use photos as data;67
4.8;Presenting the ur-form of public mobile phone use;69
4.9;Contextual factors;70
4.10;Ethics;72
4.11;Conclusion;75
4.12;References;77
5;Everyday Contexts of Camera Phone Use: Steps Toward Techno-Social Ethnographic Frameworks;80
5.1;Introduction;80
5.2;Camera phone adoption and research;81
5.3;Research design;83
5.4;Techno-social situations of camphone use;88
5.5;Conclusion;100
5.6;Acknowledgements;101
5.7;References;102
6;Mobile Visuality and Everyday Life in Finland: An Ethnographic Approach to Social Uses of Mobile Image;104
6.1;Approaching the social uses of mobile images;105
6.2;Multi-method ethnography;106
6.3;Ethnographic field experiments;109
6.4;Camera phones and the cycle of 'moral panics';111
6.5;Mobile image and telepresence;116
6.6;Ethnography and some methodological challenges;118
6.7;References;119
7;Unfaithful: Reflections of Enchantment, Disenchantment ... and the Mobile Phone;124
7.1;Unfaithful;128
7.2;Secrecy and subterfuge;131
7.3;Conclusion;141
7.4;References;142
8;"I have a free phone so I don't bother to send SMS, I call" - The Gendered Use of SMS Among Adults in Intact and Divorced Families;146
8.1;Introduction;146
8.2;The use of SMS;147
8.3;Spoken and written language;147
8.4;Gender and electronically mediated language;148
8.5;SMS as a 'women's medium';150
8.6;SMS and the life cycle;153
8.7;Social networking and the instrumental use of SMS;156
8.8;Contact with males;158
8.9;Male attitudes towards SMS;160
8.10;Authenticity via SMS;162
8.11;The ideology of voice interaction;163
8.12;The power dimensions of voice and SMS;164
8.13;Conclusion;165
8.14;References;168
9;Another Kind of 'Mobility': Mobiles in Terrorist Attacks;174
9.1;Some basic facts;175
9.2;Roles played by mobile phones;177
9.3;Mobile phone networks during March 2004;180
9.4;Explosion-oriented role;183
9.5;Rescue role;185
9.6;Reinforcing kinship and friendship ties;187
9.7;Mass medium role;189
9.8;Conclusion;199
9.9;References;202
10;Fashion and Technology in the Presentation of the Self;204
10.1;Rationale;205
10.2;Identity, presentation of the self and new technologies;205
10.3;Mobile communication, fashion and presentation of the self;208
10.4;Aim and method;209
10.5;Results;211
10.6;Conclusion;224
10.7;References;22511;How To Be in Two Places at The Same Time?- Mobile Phone Use in Public Places;228
11.1;The ethnographic work;231
11.2;Co-presence in public places: doing being a stranger;234
11.3;Mobile phone use in public: any topic, anywhere, anyone;236
11.4;Presence modulation;237
11.5;Conclusion;246
11.6;References;248
12;Beyond Talk, Beyond Sound: Emotional Expression and the Future of Mobile Connectivity;256
12.1;Preamble;256
12.2;Background;256
12.3;A way forward;259
12.4;Conceptualising emotion for design;261
12.5;Technologies for particular expressions;262
12.6;Stretching channels;263
12.7;The building blocks of expression;265
12.8;Lessons;267
12.9;Conclusion;269
12.10;References;270
13;A Mobile Ethnographic View on (Mobile) Media Usage?;274
13.1;Ethnographic media research;275
13.2;Domestication approach;276
13.3;Once again: what are media ethnographies?;279
13.4;Mobile media ethnography?;280
13.5;Urban Mo