Wikipedia articles are one of the world’s most turned-to resources on Earth. But it’s also a treasure trove for those with deep questions about knowledge production.
Theories: Wikipedia and the production of knowledge is a new collection from the Wiki Education Foundation. In it, four instructors share how they’ve used Wikipedia’s model of knowledge production to probe deeper into politics of access and representation, questions of authorship, and the study of ideology. The instructors also share reading lists that can inform a better understanding of Wikipedia related to their lines of inquiry.
Wikipedia, as an ongoing democratic project dedicated to the production of knowledge, is a useful site for engaging on these topics. Our brochure can help frame deeper thinking on the subject and even includes thoughtful discussion questions to drive students into a deeper analysis of what Wikipedia is, does, and means.
Theories: Wikipedia and the production of knowledge is a useful complement to the Case Studies brochure for classes with a more theoretical approach to questions of representation, participation, rhetoric, or the politics of information access. It’s available online as a .pdf, with print copies available upon request.
