The Wired World

The term "information society" has been well used, primarily as a buzzword for technological advances in computing and telecommunications and the widespread uptake of digital technology. The concept of an information society has been developed and promoted by academic theorists, governments and popular authors since the 1960s. This reference book brings together the disparate theoretical, historical and practical ideas underpinning the information society. It aims to provide the student with a cohesive and easy-to-read overview of the topic, serve as a starting point from which to explore the subject in greater depth, and to offer the practitioner a practical reference tool. The volume takes the form of a broad-based annotated bibliography, which aims to interlink theory, historic antecedents and modern-day practicalities. The areas of activity covered include: theoreticians such as Bell, Ellul and Webster; practitioners such as Masuda, Machlup and Porat; practical initiatives undertaken by government, in particular the EU's programmes to promote an information society; and joining the information society and the problems of exclusion from it.