Blogs as Interfaces between Several Worlds A Case Study of the Swedish Academic Blogosphere

In English The purpose of this article is to examine the use of blogs as tools in scholarly communication practice. The article is based on a case study of the Swedish academic blogosphere. It starts with an overview of earlier research about blogs which is followed by a presentation of earlier research on scholarly communication practice. Disciplinary differences regarding the use of ICTs are considered specifically. Sixty-seven Swedish academic blogs are investigated using content analysis, supplemented by a webometric study of the same material. The results indicate agreement across disciplines regarding the use of blogs as tools. One conclusion is that blogs do not replace a previous form of communication, but function as distinct interfaces between four arenas: the university, the research field, the general public, and private life.