Thesis Title: Subtitle

Research Aims

This study has three key aims, primarily related to its theoretical contribution to the literature concerning SNS. At present the majority of this literature is firmly empirical in nature and sustained theoretical discussion of the issues raised is still in its early stages; though this is not too surprising given the relative infancy of the field. This thesis aims to broaden and deepen our sociological understanding of SNS and its spatial properties, as well as how this might influence the self and our friendship by positing them within broader technological and social change (Giddens 1990). Using Facebook as a case study, my PhD thesis addresses the need for research that contextualises SNS as part of broader social changes. It also aims to examine the extent to which SNS influences the experience and performance of friendship and the role this has in the construction of the self.
As such, this research aims to make a contribution to knowledge that advances the scholarships of SNS theoretically and empirically. By doing this, I aim to make an original
contribution to Australian and international literature on SNS, including accounting for its use among populations outside the ‘youth’ demographic, by focusing my research on an adult population. In the sections below I detail my rationale for this project, including the selection of Facebook and a site of research, and why I have chosen to focus on adults.

Rationale

So why examine Facebook? After all, there is much scholarship that already exists which examines Facebook. There are numerous reasons for conducting such a study. The following sections lay the groundwork for this rationale, by examining the history of SNS and Facebook. This section also briefly examines previous research regarding Facebook and positions this thesis in relation to rest of the field. In doing this, I argue that further examination of Facebook has much to contribute to our broader understanding of disembodied spaces like Facebook. Understanding Facebook as a space can further enhance our critical appreciation of the dialectical relationship between disembodied spaces and their users.