We are pleased to congratulate Alena Feeney on successfully defending her dissertation proposal on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, via Zoom. This important milestone reflects her dedication and commitment to advancing research in decentralized social media and digital governance.
Title: Decentralizing Information: Participation and Governance in Alternative Media
Abstract:
Alternative social media (ASM) environments are frequently positioned as more democratic and participatory alternatives to corporate platforms; however, the conditions under which participation becomes meaningful, sustainable, and equitable remain insufficiently examined. Conceptualizing ASM as a community-based, user-governed infrastructure, this study investigates how decentralized governance practices, user agency, and community-led moderation reconfigure power relations, participation, and norms of digital engagement. Grounded in critical media studies and participatory culture frameworks, and informed by the work of Chris Atton, Christian Fuchs, and Henry Jenkins, the project examines how users both shape and are shaped by the social and cultural dynamics of ASM environments.
Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative case study of Mastodon, integrating digital ethnography and qualitative content analysis. Data collection focuses on key empirical domains: platform documents (e.g., moderation policies and instance rules), hashtag-based discourse related to governance practices, and administrator perspectives on decision-making and community management. Through iterative coding and thematic analysis, this multi-method approach enables a systematic examination of how authority is distributed and negotiated across administrative and normative layers. In doing so, the study advances a more granular account of governance and power in decentralized social media ecosystems, with particular attention to their implications for participation, inclusion, and collective content regulation.
Dissertation Committee:
Rich Gazan, Chairperson
Jenifer Sunrise Winter
Wayne Buente
Wei Zhang, University Representative
Bo Xiao