Includes bibliographical references following each chapter and index.
CONTENTS NOTE
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Information and international politics: an overview / Julian Emmons Allison -- Communications revolutions and international relations / Cherie Steele and Arthur Stein -- Information technologies and turbulence in world politics / James N. Rosenau and David Johnson -- Globalization, information, and change / Frank Webster -- Coincident revolutions and the dictator's dilemma: thoughts on communication and democratization / Christopher R. Kedzie, with Janni Aragon -- The communications revolution and the political use of force / Matthew A. Baum -- Making the national international: information technology and government respect for human rights / David L. Richards -- Gender, women's organizing, and the internet / Deborah Stienstra -- Technology transfer in the computer age: the African experience / Ali A. Mazrui and Robert L. Ostergard Jr.
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SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
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Technology, Development, and Democracy examines the growing role of the Internet in international affairs, from a source of mostly officially sanctioned information, to a venue where knowledge is often merged with political propaganda, rhetoric and innuendo. The Internet not only provides surfers with up-to-the-minute stories, including sound and visual images, and opportunities to interact with one another and experts on international issues, but also enables anyone with access to a computer, modem, and telephone line to influence international affairs directly. What does this portend for the future of international politics? The contributors respond by providing theoretical perspectives and empirical analyses for understanding the impact of the communications revolution on international security, the world political economy, human rights, and gender relations. Internet technologies are evaluated as sources of change or continuity, and as contributors to either conflict or cooperation among nations. While the Internet and its related technologies hold no greater, certain prospect for positive change than previous technological advances, they arguably do herald significant advances for democracy, the democratization process, and international peace.