2025:Program/Introduce our a newly published open-source book titled Wikipedia Politics.

View on Commons

Session title: Introduce our a newly published open-source book titled Wikipedia Politics.

Session type: Poster

Track: Research

Language: en

Wikipedia Politics is an innovative open-source book that offers a deep exploration of the political dimensions embedded within Wikipedia, one of the world’s largest and most influential knowledge repositories. Crafted by a diverse group of academics, technologists, and Wikipedia contributors, this work uncovers the underlying power structures and ideological currents that shape the platform’s content and community. It investigates the mechanisms of Wikipedia’s collaborative editing, the resolution of editorial conflicts, and the role of its administrative framework, shedding light on how these processes influence the information presented to a global audience. Far from portraying Wikipedia as a purely democratic or impartial endeavor, the book exposes the political tensions—ranging from subtle biases in article framing to the impact of organized interest groups—that define its evolution.

Description

Wikipedia Politics is an innovative open-source book that offers a deep exploration of the political dimensions embedded within Wikipedia, one of the world’s largest and most influential knowledge repositories. Crafted by a diverse group of academics, technologists, and Wikipedia contributors, this work uncovers the underlying power structures and ideological currents that shape the platform’s content and community. It investigates the mechanisms of Wikipedia’s collaborative editing, the resolution of editorial conflicts, and the role of its administrative framework, shedding light on how these processes influence the information presented to a global audience. Far from portraying Wikipedia as a purely democratic or impartial endeavor, the book exposes the political tensions—ranging from subtle biases in article framing to the impact of organized interest groups—that define its evolution. Released under an open-access license, Wikipedia Politics not only provides free access to its contents but also encourages readers to engage with and expand its analysis, mirroring the participatory spirit of Wikipedia itself. This book stands as both a scholarly critique and a dynamic contribution to the discourse on digital governance, making it a vital resource for understanding the politics of knowledge in the 21st century.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

sustainability

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Speakers

• ganli hao

Gan Lihao (born October 1977) is a professor and doctoral supervisor at East China Normal University. He is a distinguished talent of the Pujiang Talent Program in Shanghai. He has also served as a visiting scholar in the Department of Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, he holds the position of Deputy Director at the National Discourse Ecology Research Center and serves as an executive member of the Chinese Rhetoric Society, a council member of the Shanghai Language Society, and a committee member of the Audiovisual Communication branch of the Chinese Association for the History of Journalism and Communication.I led a team of over thirty individuals to study the Wikimedia movement, producing research papers totaling more than one million words. For specific research outcomes, please refer to my personal webpage in both Chinese and English：https://faculty.ecnu.edu.cn/_s11/glh_en/main.psp

• 5127

I am an undergraduate student from East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. I edited and wrote some contents about Chinese traditional culture, debate competition and social science.