Digital roots : historicizing media and communication concepts of the digital age Frontmatter Contents Digging into Digital Roots. Towards a Conceptual Media and Communication History Technologies and Connections Networks Media Convergence Multimedia Interactivity Artificial Intelligence Agency and Politics Global Governance Data(fication) Fake News Echo Chambers Digital Media Activism Users and Practices Telepresence Digital Loneliness Amateurism User Generated Content (UGC) Fandom Authenticity Authors As media environments and communication practices evolve over time so do theoretical concepts. This book analyzes some of the most well known and fiercely discussed concepts of the digital age from a historical perspective showing how many of them have pre digital roots and how they have changed and still are constantly changing in the digital era. Written by leading authors in media and communication studies the chapters historicize 16 concepts that have become central in the digital media literature focusing on three main areas. The first part Technologies and Connections historicises concepts like network media convergence multimedia interactivity and artificial intelligence. The second one is related to Agency and Politics and explores global governance datafication fake news echo chambers digital media activism. The last one Users and Practices is finally devoted to telepresence digital loneliness amateurism user generated content fandom and authenticity. The book aims to shed light on how concepts emerge and are co shaped circulated used and reappropriated in different contexts. It argues for the need for a conceptual media and communication history that will reveal new developments without concealing continuities and it demonstrates how the analogue digital dichotomy is often a misleading one.