Imagining the Internet: Communication, Innovation, and Governance
"Imagining the Internetis a thorough and documented analysis of the political conflicts and policy debates surrounding the design and governance of the communication networks of our lives. Robin Mansell is an authority in the field of communication technology studies and this book brings together a coherent argument of her seminal contributions to the understanding of the Internet. Mandatory reading for communication, business strategists, and policy-making scholars alike."--Manuel Castells, Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society, University of Southern California"Imagining the Internetprovides perceptive, technologically, and institutionally savvy perspectives on current socially shared conceptualizations of the evolving Internet and its implications for the lives of individuals, the fortunes of business companies, and the future of societies. Mansell's exposure and analysis of the contending particular interests that have embraced, and shaped alternative visions of the Web and the Information Society's futures makes this book 'a must read' for students of contemporary social communications and thoughtful policy-makers in the public and private sectors alike."--Paul A. David, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research; Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford; and Professorial Fellow of UNU-MERIT (Maastricht)"Robin Mansell'sImagining the Internetcomes at exactly the right moment. The world is being transformed by digital communication yet for many of us, it is difficult to understand what exactly is happening and why. Imagining the Internet cuts through the hot air, providing a valuable perspective as well as a sense of the great policy issues that will define the Internet going forward."--Robert W. McChesney, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"Imagining the Internetarrives at a critical moment in Internet time--just when breath-taking national policy initiatives are being introduced in ways that could reshape freedom of expression, privacy, and other core communication values that underpin the vitality of network societies around the world. Robin Mansell brings her critical insights on the social and economic roles of media, information, and communication technologies to bear on major issues for policy and practice. It is must reading for students, communication professionals, and policy-makers who will value her original synthesis of a wide range of multi-disciplinary research. The book effectively challenges and reconciles conflicting viewpoints in ways that can guide innovation in technology, governance, and policy for a 'good society' in the coming Internet age."--William H. Dutton, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford