Citizenship and Participation in the Information Age

The new century promises to be a roller coaster ride fueled by rapidly changing information and communications technologies (ICTs). With the capacity for the almost instant transfer of digital information across and beyond the planet, commonly held notions of distance and speed, as well as our understanding of the nature and meaning of interpersonal contact are being challenged and redefined. Many believe that all structural underpinnings of society will be transformed. Good or bad, it is hard to predicct just what will be the eventual political, social and cultural impact of the global interconnectedness made possible by new technologies. This book reflects each contributor's vision of the future, visions that range from the enthusiastic and hopeful to the pessimistic and fearful. The editor's purpose is to alert readers to what lies ahead in the new information society, and to help unravel the public policy implications of the changes wrought by information and communications technologies.