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

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.