Ever since the anti-globalisation protests in Seattle in 1999 the adoption of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) by social movement activists has offered the prospect for the development of global cyberprotest. The Internet with its transnational many-to-many communication facility offers a revolutionary potential for social movements to go online and circumvent the 'official' messages of political and commercial organisations and the traditional media, by speaking directly to the citizens of the world. Furthermore the use of electronic mail (e-mail), mailing lists, websites, electronic forums and other online applications provide powerful media tools for co-ordinating the activity of often physically dispersed movement actors. Moreover, ICTs may also contribute to the important function of social movements of shaping collective identity and countering the claims and arguments of established political interests. A growing body of literature during the last decades of the twentieth century attests to the significant impact SMs have had upon the restructuring of the political landscape. Most of that literature addresses the more traditional actors and institutions (e.g. parliaments, political parties, bureaucracy etc.). Less attention has been devoted to those manifestations of political action that are concentrated around social movements and all kinds of more or less institutionalised and sustainable forms of citizen mobilisation. This book is a collection of cases that take a critical look into the way ICTs are finding their way into the world of social movements

Uses case studies and voices of activists themselves to examine the role of the internet at all levels of environmental activism. Contemporary analysis of forms and processes of radical environmental activism. Contemporary analysis of forms and processes of radical environmental activism. Documents the negotiations and achievements of environmentalists both in dealing with the tensions of using environmentally damaging technology and in avoiding surveillance and counter-strategies. Will be of interest to students and academics of politics, sociology, environmental studies and anyone who has ever wondered if signing an email petition will make a difference.

Cyberprotest explores the effects of the synergy between ICTs and people power, analyzing the implications for politics and social policy at both a national and a global level.

By outlining a social theory of the internet and the information society, this book demonstrates how the ecological, economic, political and cultural systems of contemporary society have been transformed by new information and communication technologies.

This book explores the technical, social and cultural implications of the emerging Information and communication technologies, addressing the technological and scientific development within education, commerce, governance, and security with a special emphasis on the impact on individuals, culture and society. Bringing together papers from the Second International Conference on Advances in Education, Commerce & Governance: Technology's Impact on Individuals, Culture and Society, the text will be of interest to researchers and academics working in areas related to the social, psychological and cultural impact of information communications technology (ICT). Specifically the book addresses a wide range of topics as diverse as: E-Commerce and E-Governance; Data and Information Privacy; Psychology; Gender; Culture; New Learning.

Cyberprotest is an exploration of contemporary radical internet activism in Britain. It investigates the context, tensions and outcomes of environmentalists' use of the internet. Examining a wide variety of groups—from radical direct action protesters to the political lobbying of Friends of the Earth—it allows activists to speak of their experiences, challenges and innovations, providing a unique insight into the workings of frontline activism. Internet use in all levels of activism—from long-running campaigns to short-term intense tactics—is analysed in the quest to determine the value of this much-hyped technology. The book documents the negotiations and achievements of environmentalists both in dealing with the tensions of using environmentally damaging technology and in avoiding surveillance and counter-strategies. It also examines how they use the internet in a participatory manner, to aid mobilisation and to add to their tactical repertoire. It reflects upon the implications of these uses for political campaigning and identifies emerging trends in the forms and processes of the environmental movement. This book will appeal to those interested in politics and the environment or who have a concern for the politics of the internet and activism.

This book considers the lessons learnt so far from the emergence of the Internet and the development of the field of Internet studies, whilst also considering possible directions for the future. Examining broad media theories and emerging theorisations around the Internet specifically, it explores the possibility of the development of an Internet theory in the future. A comprehensive overview of the field, Internet Studies considers key issues of social importance that the study of the Internet draws upon, such as the role of the Internet in civic participation and democratisation, the development of virtual communities, digital divides and social inequality, as well as Internet governance and policy control. At the same time, it examines the role of the Internet in social research and the development of highly interdisciplinary and rapidly developing Internet research. Hence, this volume maps key areas of certainty and uncertainty in the field of Internet studies and, as such, it will be of interest to scholars and students of media and communication, sociology and social research methods.