Cyberspace Divide: Equality, Agency and Policy in the Information Society / Edition 1

by Brian D Loader

Overview

The dramatic advances in computer and telecommunications technologies such as the Internet, virtual reality, smart cards or multimedia applications are increasingly regarded as ushering in a new form of society: the information society. Politicians, policy makers and business gurus are all encouraging us to join the information superhighway at the nearest junction or risk being excluded from the social and economic benefits of the information revolution. Cyberspace Divide critically considers the complex relationship between technological change, its effect upon social divisions, its consequences for social action and the emerging strategies for social inclusion in the Information Age. Cyberspace Divide will be invaluable reading for those studying social policy, sociology, computing and communication studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415169684
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/09/1998
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1450L (what's this?)

About the Author

Brian Loader is Co-Director of the Community Information Research and Applications Unit at the University of Teesside

Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Cyberspace divide: equality, agency and policy in the information society Part I Divisions, difference and social exclusion 2 Global networks and the myth of equality: trickle down or trickle away? 3 Who are the world’s information-poor? 4 The ‘crisis’ in the urban public realm Part II Identity, autonomy and social interaction 5 Gender, agency, location and the new information society 6 Ethics @ the Internet: bilateral procedures in electronic communication 7 The Internet, virtual reality and real reality 8 Why even scholars don’t get a free lunch in cyberspace: my adventures with a tunnelvisionary Part III Strategies for social inclusion 9 Confucius or capitalism? policies for an information society 10 Information and citizenship in Europe 11 Managing the cyberspace divide: government investment in electronic information services 12 Connecting Wales: the Internet and national Identity 13 The Internet, other ‘nets’ and healthcare

Editorial Reviews

'A good hard look at claims that the Internet will bring a massive redistribution of power ... what's really useful about this book is the level of detail provided.' - New Scientist

From the Publisher