Global Networks And Local Values

Global Networks and Local Values

Whether you call it the third wave, the information revolution, or the virtually connected world, the implications of a global information network are profound. As a society, we want to forestall the possible negative impacts without closing the door to the potential benefits. But how? Global Networks and Local Values provides perspective and direction, focusing on the relationship between global information networks and local values-that is, the political, economic, and cultural norms that shape our daily lives. This book is structured around an illuminating comparison between U.S. and German approaches toward global communication and information flow. (The United States and Germany are selected as two industrialized, highly networked countries with significant social differences.) Global Networks and Local Values captures the larger context of technology and culture, explores the political and commercial institutions where the global network functions, and highlights specific issues such as taxation, privacy, free speech, and more. The committee contrasts the technical uniformity that makes global communication possible with the diversity of the communities being served and explores the prospects that problems resulting from technology can be resolved by still more technology. This thoughtful volume will be of interest to everyone concerned about the social implications of the global Internet.

Global Networks and Local Values

Understanding the Impact of Global Networks on Local Social, Political and Cultural Values

Opportunities and risks are twins. There are few to deny the opportunities of global networks in general and of the Internet in particular. But many fear for the concomitant risks, or what they perceive as a risk. Racist speech, pornography and personality profiling rank highest in public awareness. Some concerns are quasi universal, like child pornography. But for others there are at least differences of degree. Following its history, Germany has tabooed right wing publications. And Americans, in their majority, feel hurt by nudity, which most Germans find quite inoffensive. Such examples lure into a simplistic opposition: global values threaten local values. The reality of global networks, and of their interrelation with local values, is much more complex. This volume explores different paths for understanding global networks, local values, and their reciprocal impact. It streches from social philosophy to technology forecasting, from cultural theory to law, from systems theory to economic history, from sociology to external relations studies, from economics to political sciences. The volume collects the following papers: W. Kersting, Global Networks and Local Values -- D. Farber, Predicting the Unpredictable - Technology and Society -- P. David, The Internet and the Economics of Network Technology Evolution -- M. Hutter, The Commercialization of the Internet -- D. Baecker, Networking the Web -- M. Thompson, Global Networks and Local Cultures: What are the Mismatches? -- K. Keniston, Cultural Diversity or Global Monoculture -- M. Kahler, Information Networks and Global Politics -- R. Werle, The Impact of Information Networks on the Structure of Political Systems -- S. Sassen, The Impact of the Internet on Sovereignty -- C. Engel, The Internet and the Nation State -- L. Muller, Discussion Report.