History and Politics of the Internet: Cyberpolitics
Jeffrey A. Hart
Jeffrey A. Hart presents an overview of his new book, Essays on the History and Politics of the Internet: Cyberpolitics.
The Internet has been in existence for over fifty years. The way we live our lives has changed considerably because of this new medium. As the Internet has become increasingly popular, it has been drawn into age-old struggles over censorship and freedom of expression. It has played an increasing role in commerce, and controversies have erupted over privacy, security, consumer rights, intellectual property rights, taxation, and other matters. With the rise of Internet-connected smartphones, the Internet has become part of daily life for billions of people.
One major theme explored in this book is the contrast between the dream and the reality of the Internet. Many of the creators of the Internet shared a vision of building a system that would empower individuals anywhere in the world to share their knowledge and creativity. This profoundly democratic dream came out of an age in which many pre-existing power structures were being questioned. This book argues that the Internet has actually resulted in the creation of new centers of power and influence, many of which are anti-democratic.
This seminar will be held both online & in person. You are welcome to join us either in South Hall or via Zoom.
For online participants
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Speaker
Jeffrey A. Hart is an emeritus professor of political science at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. His main area of specialization is international political economy. Most of his research has been on the politics of international economic competitiveness in the advanced industrial nations.
Between 1996 and 2001, he collaborated with Stefanie Lenway and Tom Murtha on the world flat panel display industry, supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. In 2001, he completed a project on globalization in collaboration with Aseem Prakash that resulted in the publication of three edited volumes. In 2004, he published a book on the politics of high definition television (HDTV). He co-authored three editions of a textbook with Joan Edelman Spero (The Politics of International Economic Relations).
Contact
If you have questions about this event, please contact Michael Buckland.
