Groups are a subset of users within the larger social network who have a shared interest, goal, or identity. Social groups are organized by categories such as methods/tools, theory, cultural areas, fields of practice, or even academic institutions*. Social groups may also have specific rules for members, which can help to define and reinforce the group. The social groups within the Collaborative Anthropology Network serve as a way for individuals to tune into specific topics in anthropology and connect and engage with others who share their interest, providing support and opportunities to collaborate.
Each group is organized as a comprehensive resource in the topic area and includes an activity feed, an optional discussion board, a comprehensive introduction on the groups topic,** and integrated zoom video chat capabilities are available***.
All groups can be found in the groups page of the social network. Registered users can create groups, join groups, or invite others to join the group. Once you are a member of a group, you will receive updates from the group and can also contribute to the group timeline and create or join group discussions. Group admins and moderators can send messages to group members and schedule group zoom meetings. Currently, only public groups are available but private and hidden groups are coming soon!
* Organizations should create an organizational profile to be included in the organization directory and benefit from additional features catering to organizations.
** The introductory text written in groups may be used and integrated with a separate wiki service in the future.
*** Depending on how the group admins have configured the group, admins, moderators, and group members are also able to schedule zoom meetings within the group and participate in the group discussion board.
