Is there really an "information revolution"? What are the implications of information technology for our lives and social institutions? What social, political and ethical issues does it raise? This collection of papers by international specialists confronts these controversial questions. The book aims to provide a challange to many facile assumptions, making it a valuable resource for teaching and research on information technology at university level, particularly in social scientific and interdisciplinary courses. Designed to accompany the Open University course DT200 - An Introduction to Information Technology - the reader aims to go beyond usual conclusions, futurist speculation and specialist appraisal, and builds on social scientific research and thinking to bring out social rather than purely technical implications.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Verlagsgruppe
Zielgruppe
Für die Erwachsenenbildung
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Illustrationen
tables, notes, references, index
Maße
Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 155 mm
Dicke: 23 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-340-41669-3 (9780340416693)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Herausgeber*in
Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Open University
Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Open University
Part 1 The shaping of information technology - determinism or choice?: the case for technological determinism; electronics takes command; models of computer literacy; value conflicts and social choice in electronic payment systems. Part 2 The shaping of information technology - some actors in the drama: defence and the electronics industry - civil exploitation of defence electronics; managerial strategies - new technology and the labour process; new technology and bank work - banking on IT as an organizational technology; telecommunication - policy directions for the technology and information services. Part 3 Some critical issues for the information age - control and power: surveillance, computers and privacy; dangers of information technology and responsibilities of education; information technology and the north-south divide; decision-making in the information age - computer models and public policy. Part 4 Some critical issues for the information age - access and participation: communication satellites - a third world perspective; the social economics of information technology; IT futures in households and communities. Part 5 The future of the human spirit - depersonalization or new development?: social psychological aspects of computer-mediated communication; computers and the human spirit; engineers and the work that people do; artificial intelligence.
