Lessons in Fluidity: Anonymous and the Communicative Formation of Organizatonal Identity
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The document discusses the formation of organizational identity through a communication-centered lens, particularly in fluid settings like the hacker collective 'Anonymous.' It contrasts essentialist and processual views on identity, emphasizing how identity is shaped through communicative acts rather than fixed membership. Case studies, such as operations targeting the Westboro Baptist Church and Facebook, illustrate how communication functions as a source of identity formation and boundary maintenance.
![Episode 2 – “Operation Facebook”: The
performative power of excommunication
! August 2011
! Threat to take down Facebook on Nov. 5 2011
! Tweet that this was some guy's idea of a joke
! November 2011
! Initiator of Operation Facebook gets exposed
! „One skiddy queer chap named Anthony [last name
redacted]“
Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn
“Excommunication” by revealing individual identity as
“last resort” of communicative boundary maintenance](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ica-2013-anonymous-slides-final-130618035836-phpapp01/85/Lessons-in-Fluidity-Anonymous-and-the-Communicative-Formation-of-Organizatonal-Identity-7-320.jpg)
Lessons in Fluidity: Anonymous and the Communicative Formation of Organizatonal Identity
- 1. Lessons in Fluidity Anonymous and the Communicative Formation of Organizational Identity Leonhard Dobusch Freie Universität Berlin “We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.” Dennis Schoeneborn University of Zurich/ Copenhagen Business School
- 2. Essentialist vs. processual views on organizational identity Two main positions on organizational identity: ! Essentialist views: identity as “some entity” (Goia et al. 2013) ! Processual views: Shift to identity formation (Schultz & Hernes 2013) Two observations regarding this literature: ! Member-centered explanations prevail ! Black box of co-evolution between identity and image (“inextricably intertwined relationship”; Goia et al. 2010) Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn But how is identity formed in organizations with unclear membership and fluid organizational boundaries?
- 3. Boundary maintenance through communicative acts (e.g., membership negotiation) Past events (or channels) as decision premises Identity formation through public (auto-) communication communication processes A communication-centered lens helps comprehend identity in most fluid settings Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn
- 4. We investigate the case of the hacker collective “Anonymous“ ! Organization of anonymous “hacktivists”; self-description as “collective” or “hive” ! Emerged as „meme“ in image boards such as „4chan“ in 2006, turned political over time… ! Several “operations” attacking diverse targets ! Data Collection ! Event histories provided by Wikipedia ! Twitter feeds, blogs, forums, and media articles ! Interviews with self-declared Anonymous activists (not yet included in paper) ! Empirical puzzle ! Anonymous cannot draw on identity of its members ! Who cannot speak on behalf of Anonymous? Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn
- 5. Phase I Phase II Phase III Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn Lately, occurrence of hacker attacks with unclear attribution to Anonymous
- 6. Episode 1 – “Operation Westboro“: Substitute sources of identity formation ! February 2011: ! Spokeswomen of Westboro Baptist Church claims to have received an open threat letter by Anonymous ! Anonymous renounces authorship via Twitter ! Media response: ! “Why should the second open letter be given any more credence than the first?” ! Radio interview with self-declared Anonymous activist, who hacked WBC homepage “on air” Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn Lacking clear membership, communication channels served as functionally equivalent sources of identity formation
- 7. Episode 2 – “Operation Facebook”: The performative power of excommunication ! August 2011 ! Threat to take down Facebook on Nov. 5 2011 ! Tweet that this was some guy's idea of a joke ! November 2011 ! Initiator of Operation Facebook gets exposed ! „One skiddy queer chap named Anthony [last name redacted]“ Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn “Excommunication” by revealing individual identity as “last resort” of communicative boundary maintenance
- 8. Contributions to the literature Organizational identity: ! Strengthening processual views on identity formation by emphasizing the importance of meaning negotiation and attribution of actorhood through communication Fluid organizational settings: ! Transcending member-centered views on identity; communication-centered lens allows to overcome duality of identity and image Organizational communication: ! Excommunication practices at the expense of individual identity as a means for boundary maintenance Leonhard Dobusch & Dennis Schoeneborn
- 9. Thank you.