Slowly getting the hang of it……

In the last week the enormity of the amount of work needed for this MA has really sunk in. Like the majority of my fellow learners, I’m completing the MA part time over two years. This means that I have to hold down a pretty demanding job at the same time.

The last week of so has been hellish, more hellish that normal. Some unexpected tasks at work and preparation for an OFSTED visit  (I’m a teacher) meant getting behind on MA reading, and that’s where the motivation issue crops up.

It’s safe to say I’m a morning person, so coming home and starting often complex articles and books on issues I’m not totally familiar with at 8pm is hard work to say the least.  It’s tough, and the most difficult thing is to just get started, because that’s when the procrastination hits.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t get very far last night reading up on theories of migration and solidarity, but I do have the most well ordered sock drawer in the world.

Similarly, yesterday I didn’t get very far in plotting my formative assignment plan, but the kitchen is sparkling.

However, I am slowly learning and adapting to the pressure and volume of MA work. It’s getting better and here’s what I’ve learned about myself and my study so far:

1)      Make time to study in the part of the day you are most alert.

In reality for me this means Saturday and Sunday morning. I get up early, cook a decent breakfast and get cracking. If I start before 8am, I can go all day. If I haven’t started by 10am, it’s unlikely I’ll get started.

2)      Plan shopping in advance.

I know this sounds weird, but this has become important. If I have an excuse of “oh, I’m out of milk” then procrastination invariably derails my study like a train careering off a viaduct. Planning and shopping in advance cuts right across that.

3)      Pick assignments that interest you.

Whilst the point of the MA is to become a critical expect, I don’t have to be an expert in absolutely everything in the field. If I’m going to spend hours reading a subject, I want it to be a subject that gives me those wonderful “eureka” moments. A subject that resonates with my experience and interests; and more to the point, one that doesn’t bore me rigid.

4)      Be honest about what you don’t know.

. I’ll admit it, I’m shit at economics. You mention ‘quantative easing’, and I’ll ease off into the happy escape place in my head. So, instead of pretending I knew what a lot of the text book were saying I purchased a basic introduction ‘Economics for Dummies’ style book and read that first. Spending time on this book, was a good side projects which has gained me time later.

5)      Know your break point.

That’s break point, not breaking point. In other words, the point where I need to get my head out of the books and do something else. Something completely unrelated to the course. I’d like to say that my break activity is something cool and outdoorsy – like climbing mountains or rally car driving. The sad reality is that my breaks usually consist of a cheese sandwich, a nice cup of tea and slowly ploughing my way through that Buffy the Vampire Slayer box set. (Don’t judge me….but for those that want details, I’ve halfway through Series 2).

6)      Have a plan. Write it up.

A week’s worth of “what I want to achieve” – and cross them off. Crossing off lists is pretty therapeutic and gives a sense of achievement…or perhaps I’m just a list-obsessed freak. After all I did once make a list entitled “things I like about lists”…..ho hum….but anyway, you get the point……

 

So that’s it. Some thoughts on where I’m at. I’m no expert at study of this intensity and level, but I seem to be finding my way.

However, despite the hassle, the tiredness, the guilt filled sorting or my sock drawer, I do know this one thing. Already this MA has exposed me to ideas that I would never have come across. It’s challenging my assumptions on everything I knew about unions, it’s quite frankly blowing my mind.

And I love it. And whatever it takes I’m going to make this work.

Now it’s back to the books.  The “impact of migration on union strategies”, anyone?  Just me then…….

A network of spoilers?

I’m going to start this post with a disclaimer. This post of more of a musing out loud than a totally thought out position. It’s something that’s been rattling around in my head for the last 24 hours, making connections.

Yesterday, Reading University announced the results of a quick analysis they had done on the UK Police and Crime Commissioners’ elections held last week. It revealed something most of us already suspected – that there was a significant increase in spoiled ballots compared to other elections.  The research based on a sample of 31 out of 41 police forces showed that 120,000 were spoiled, with gives a tenfold increase on those spoiled at the general election. The data can be found here https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/readingpolitics/2012/11/18/spoilt-ballots-in-the-pcc-elections-what-do-the-numbers-tell-us/

Now, there are many differences between a general election and specific one such as the PCC election – media coverage, importance attached to the issue, and also how connect people feel personally. Also differences in voting arrangements and confusion over the preference system could be a factor.

However, this increase in spoiled ballots, I suspect, also shows a “network” in action. That is, a horizontal, non hierarchical network being used for the transmission of ideas and action.

In the run up to the election the issue of spoiling a ballot paper started being discussed – and nowhere more so than social media. Twitter was rife with discussion, debate and often heated exchanges over the rights and wrongs of such action: would it allow the opposition in? What was the point and strategy behind it? Was it just wasted anger?

Now my point here is not to discuss that. My thoughts here are on how the idea was transmitted and turned into a reality.

I suspect that a key catalyst was the fact that people could debate and decide on action prior to the election on social media. It created a sense of community and support for those thinking of spoiling a ballot – and let’s remember to spoil rather than abstain is often a more considered decision.

In effect Twitter and a Facebook hosted a network of people deciding on tactics and values. Manuel Castells has written extensively on this:

“…digital communication networks based on the Internet or wireless networks are decisive tools for mobilising, for deliberating, for co-ordinating, for deciding” 1.

Was this what we saw in action in some way on election day? Did people spontaneously decide to spoil, or did a network provide both the means and the impetus for, in effect, a strategy to emerge.

It certainly became something of a mini-movement – people putting creativity and effort into their spoiled ballots (see the wonderful example above), and a (albeit short-lived) Tumblr springing up for people to ‘celebrate’ their action.

I think it’s a question that’s worth asking. We spend a lot of time looking at large social movements – Occupy, Egypt etc, but maybe it’s time to look at these short-lived mini-movements, and how social media relates to them, and how social media influences people’s action and opinions.

Also, what can unions learn from such potential mini-mobilisations? How might knowing the dynamics of such events inform unions on mobilising members to vote, protest and get involved.

Do I know the answer? No, this as I said is just a musing, but I think it could be an interesting area to research.

1. Castells, Manual, “Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age”, 2012, Polity Press

Initial thoughts on the MA.

I joined the MA in International Labour and Trade Union Studies, at Ruskin College, in October this year, and after a fantastic, inspiring first weekend, I find myself struggling at times. Finding time to study. With understanding what I’m reading, and I’ll be honest, that ever present fight between tiredness and motivation.

So this blog is an attempt to put my thoughts in order, share some ideas, post interesting links and recommendations and reflect on how my ideas are developing.

I guess my starting point is that I have fairly clear ideas about what interests me. Labour and Trade Union studies is a broad subject which covers just about every aspect of social sciences: economics, sociology, communications, media studies, psychology….it’s got them all in one form or another. So, I guess knowing vaguely where I’m going with this is a head start.

My “thing” is social media, which is probably a polite way of staying I’m a union activist with a Twitter obsession. Fair comment. However, it’s becoming apparent that social media is becoming more than just a tool to organise with. It’s a catalyst, a factor in determining how people relate to, and react to, the issues that confront them.

Prior to joining the MA, my reading on it was confined to Clay Shirkey’s “Here Comes Everyone” and Erik Qualmann’s “Socialnomics”.  Both superb intros to the whole field, but now I find myself looking at it far more critically, and strategically. The Arab Spring was not a Facebook revolution, though it did play a role in certain aspects. It helped the world get smaller, it helped keep us more informed – but is it more than that?

Manuel Castell’s “Networks of Outrage and Hope” is throwing up some interesting ideas, and I’m certainly swayed by the whole idea of networked individuals, something also explored by Paul Mason in recent writing. (He’s guest speaker at next residential weekend *cue fan boy screams*

The second thing I’ve become fascinated by is social movements – Occupy, the campaign against student fees, UKUncut for example. Whilst they differ in crucial ways from trade unions in terms of tactics, there are shared values there, and whilst their activities can seem unfocused, it can’t be denied they have changed the debate. For instance, without UKUncut, would we be where we are on tax justice in the UK? Public opinion against tax avoiders and big companies being dragged before Parliament. At the very least there is an analysis and debate to be had here.

Also, 21^st century social movements are more and more inextricably linked to social media in organising, tactics and even in values (open access to ideas, horizontal structures etc).

The third thing that I am interested in is solidarity. A word we bandy around a lot, but what does it mean in reality. How does it work? What forces, influences and mechanisms are at play? Does how we relate emotionally and organisationally to others change when put through a prism of “solidarity”; and more to the point does it work? And does it also change in a ‘smaller’ social media dominant world where information flows like water.

So there you have it, the beginnings of a dissertation. A convergence of my three interests – all the “S”s – Social Media, Social Movement and Solidarity.

Now if you don’t mind, I’m at least three weeks behind on my reading. Or that’s what it feels like.

More dispatches on my MA experience to follow.