Today marks the publication of a new book by sociologist Rich Ling, titled New Tech, New Ties: How Mobile Communication Is Reshaping Social Cohesion. In it, Ling explores the complex implications of mobile communication for long-distance and local relationships. He argues that although it helps strengthen social ties with friends and family, it often does so at the expense of those who are physically present, a phenomenon he refers to as “bounded solidarity.” He incorporates the work of sociologists, such as Emile Durkheim and Erving Goffman, he examines how mobile communication affects face-to-face rituals, and engenders its own. Using findings from around the world, Ling articulates mobile communication’s potential to both enable and degrade social cohesion in small groups.

Today marks the publication of a new book by sociologist Rich Ling, titled New Tech, New Ties: How Mobile Communication Is Reshaping Social Cohesion. In it, Ling explores the complex implications of mobile communication for long-distance and local relationships. He argues that although it helps strengthen social ties with friends and family, it [...]