Collaborative authorship and textual validation: the Wikipedia case

Abstract

Wikipedia’s authorship process, open and collaborative, shakes up the traditional model of textual production and validation, based on credentials of a specialist or reputable writer. To explore this phenomenon, this article starts from the premise that text authorship and validation are historical constructions which vary in different epochs and cultures. In the first part, we briefly outline those shifts from Antiquity to the modern period, highlighting some of their inflections. Next, the editorial model of the electronic encyclopedia is analyzed. It is structured around a sophisticated social and technical system that, unlike other collaborative publications on the Internet, tends to be centralized. Finally, a case study of the Gaza Strip entry from the Portuguese-language Wikipedia is presented. The case study shows the dynamics of the interaction among collaborators.