Identity, Legitimacy, and Voice: Understanding Rule Adoption, Compliance, and Evolution in Online Communities 

This massive interview study explores how volunteer leaders in online communities create, enforce, and adapt community rules across three distinct sociotechnical systems: Reddit, Fandom wikis, and Fediverse instances. Conducted with the University of Washington's Department of Communication and Northwestern University, this work illuminates the interplay between social practices and platform affordances in shaping governance dynamics. 

• Investigate the motivations and practices behind rule creation and enforcement.

• Identify how leaders navigate ambiguous rule enforcement scenarios.

• Explore how platform-specific affordances influence rule evolution.

• Provide actionable insights for designing governance-supportive platforms.

I served as the Lead Researcher on this project, collaborating with a large multidisciplinary team from the University of Washington and Northwestern University . My contributions included:

• Methodological Design: Developed the multi-method approach combining qualitative interviews with comparative analysis.

• Training and Mentorship: Designed and delivered training programs for a team of 10 undergraduate research assistants (RAs) to recruit participants, conduct interviews, and assist with initial data analysis.

• Data Analysis: Conducted advanced thematic coding and cross-platform analysis of interview data.

• Manuscript Development: Authored and revised the dissertation, presenting findings with theoretical and practical implications.

• Study Design and Strategy: Designed a qualitative comparative study across three platforms, selecting Reddit, Fandom wikis, and the Fediverse for their distinct governance models.

• Team Leadership: Led and mentored 10 undergraduate RAs, training them on participant recruitment, semi-structured interviewing, and coding data for initial thematic analysis.

• Interview Data Collection: Built on prior studies, integrating 40 interviews with volunteer leaders to explore governance practices.

• Thematic Analysis: Applied a grounded theory approach to uncover patterns in rule adoption, enforcement, and evolution.

• Framework Development: Synthesized findings into actionable frameworks for governance design.

• Dissemination: Authored a comprehensive dissertation highlighting practical and theoretical contributions.

• Rule Functions: Identified rules as tools for setting behavioral norms, reinforcing community identity, and signaling legitimacy to external stakeholders.

• Governance Challenges: Highlighted "grey area" rule enforcement scenarios and strategies leaders use to build trust and encourage compliance.

• Adaptation Barriers: Demonstrated how platform affordances constrain or enable rule evolution, with Reddit leaders more likely to enact rule changes compared to Fandom or Fediverse leaders.

• Collaborative Capacity Building: Successfully trained and supervised a team of undergraduate RAs, enhancing their skills in qualitative research methods.

• Design Implications: Proposed recommendations for creating platforms that support adaptive, participatory governance, emphasizing user feedback mechanisms and flexible rule regimes.