Global Networking, Communication and Culture: Conflict or Convergence?

Description

Pursuing an interdisciplinary approach, this book offers detailed insights into the empirical relationships between overall social key figures of states and cultures in the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) (digital divide/inequality), the economy, education and religion. Its goal is to bridge the ‘cultural gap’ between computer scientists, engineers, economists, social and political scientists by providing a mutual understanding of the essential challenges posed and opportunities offered by a global information and knowledge society. In a sense, the historically unprecedented technical advances in the field of ICT are shaping humanity at different levels and forming a hybrid (intelligent) human-technology system, a so-called global superorganism. The main innovation is the combined study of digitization and globalization in the context of growing social inequalities, collapse, and sustainable development, and how a convergence towards a kind of global culture could take place. Accordingly, the book discusses the spread of ICT, Internet Governance, the balance between the central concentration of power and the extent of decentralized power distribution, the inclusion or exclusion of people and states in global communication processes, and the capacity for global empathy or culture. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxxii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Introduction (Halit Ünver)....Pages 3-8 Fundamentals (Halit Ünver)....Pages 9-38 State of Affairs (Halit Ünver)....Pages 39-58 Front Matter ....Pages 59-59 Global Networking: Relation to Economic Performance and Education Level (Halit Ünver)....Pages 61-145 Global Networking and Worldview (Halit Ünver)....Pages 147-194 Front Matter ....Pages 195-195 Global Networking, Power and Control Issues (Halit Ünver)....Pages 197-220 The Global Superorganism as an Intelligent Human-Technology System (Halit Ünver)....Pages 221-238 Convergence Towards a Global Culture? (Halit Ünver)....Pages 239-260 Closing Remarks (Halit Ünver)....Pages 261-266 Back Matter ....Pages 267-311