Why the privatization of British Telecom signaled a pivotal moment in the rise of neoliberalism, and how it was shaped by the longer development and digitalization of Britain’s telecommunications infrastructure. When Margaret Thatcher sold British Telecom for £3.6 billion in 1984, it became not only, at the time, the largest stock flotation in history, but also a watershed moment in the rise of neoliberalism and deregulation. In Visions of a Digital Nation, Jacob Ward offers an incisive interdisciplinary perspective on how technology prefigured this pivot. Giving due consideration to the politicians, engineers, and managers who paved the way for this historic moment, Ward illustrates how the decision validated the privatization of public utilities and tied digital technology to free market rationales. In this examination of the national and, at times, global history of technology, Ward’s approach is sweeping. Utilizing infrastructure studies, environmental history, and urban and local history, Ward explores Britain’s nationalist and welfarist plans for a digital information utility and shows how these projects contested and adapted to the “market turn” under Margaret Thatcher. Ultimately, Visions of a Digital Nation compellingly argues that politicians did not impose neoliberalism top-down, but that technology, engineers, and managers shaped these politics from the bottom up.

The long-term social benefits of building an inclusive information society: a national action plan. As our social institutions migrate into cyberspace, the digitally disenfranchised face increasing hardships. What happens when—in search of quick and cheap fixes—a government office shuts down and is replaced by a public Web site? What happens when a company accepts only online job applications? Inevitably, those most in need of the services and opportunities offered are further marginalized. In Digital Nation, Tony Wilhelm shows us how to build a more inclusive information society, offering a plan that reaps the benefits offered by the new technology while avoiding the pitfalls of social exclusion. Technology, he tells us, isn't the problem—it's the use of technology that can empower or control, unite or divide; we need to recover the ideas of social justice and fairness that have been lost in the rush to make things faster and cheaper. In Wilhelm's vision of an inclusive digital nation, everyone can take advantage of the new technology. With everyone part of the information society, we can revolutionize the way we educate our citizens, deliver healthcare, and engage in productive work. The result will be increased efficiency and productivity that will lead to long-term savings of billions of dollars and an enhanced quality of life as technology expands choice and opportunity. We can begin to bring this about by expanding access to computers and making it easier to acquire digital literacy skills. To do nothing—to turn a blind eye to the promise of an inclusive technology—would cost us socially and economically. Digital Nation's call for action sets the terms for a new debate on bridging the digital divide.

In this exceptional study, Christian Fuchs discusses how the internet has transformed the lives of human beings and social relationships in contemporary society. By outlining a social theory of the internet and the information society, he demonstrates how the ecological, economic, political, and cultural systems of contemporary society have been transformed by new ICTs. Fuchs highlights how new forms of cooperation and competition are advanced and supported by the internet in subsystems of society and also discusses opportunities and risks of the information society.

As a compilation of research and scholarly articles under the auspices of Dewan Guru Besot (Board of Professors) of U niversitas Gadjah Mada, this volume is expected to contribute for the Sherpa Track of G20 forum. We believe that multi-disciplinary approach among university scholars would provide a comprehensive understanding on what to be considered by the G20 country leaders who are scheduled to meet in Bali, Indonesia, in 2022. Parallel to the three prioritized agendas for G20, critical reviews on health system after the Covid-19 global pandemic, changing activities and lifestyle under digitalized economy, and transition towards sustainable energy are presented. Cases are mostly taken from the Indonesian experience. We would argue that interdependency and partnership among countries are inevitable and that we must understand and acknowledge it more than ever. All the critical global issues—health, poverty, climate change—can only be addressed with collective actions of all individuals in developed as well as developing countries. The collective awareness of the new world order for healthy, smart, and green lifestyle is essential to the future living in the planet. The G20 forum is crucial as it represents 65 percent of the world population and 80 percent of the world economy. We hope that G20 leaders have a full commitment and capacity to conduct an orchestra of global community which enable and empower citizens while acknowledging cultural diversity in their respected countries. It is a high time for all of collective and concerted actions.

ICDL conferences are recognized on of the most important platform in the world where noted expert share their experiences. Many DL experts have contributed thought provoking papers in ICDL 2013. These important papers are reviewed and conceptualized into ICDL on different areas of DL proceedings. The Proceedings have two volumes and has over 1100 pages.

This title was first published in 2003. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly being recognized as vital to the economic growth and global inclusion and participation of developing countries. This book brings together both academics and practitioners to provide a comprehensive and insightful overview of ICT and development around the world. It examines the role of IT in providing new economic and industrial opportunities, in increasing access to global information and communication, in assisting small cultural and ethnic groups to overcome disadvantages of physical distance and in catalysing initiatives towards democratic decentralization and empowerment of citizens. It also critically appraises major problems such as inappropriate focus and resource allocation, and of missed opportunities. By combining comparative case studies from Africa, South and East Asia, South America and Eastern Europe with theoretical analysis, this volume synthesizes a range of issues related to the evident tensions that exist for developing countries as they try to balance global and local priorities through the adoption and use of ICTs.

""Visions" presents readings organized by themes that stimulate readers to critically evaluate recent changes in our culture and society brought about by technological and business innovations. The readings in the book direct readers to question whether the rapid changes to our reality are all positive and whether society and culture is losing some of its basic values by so readily embracing change. The main issue running throughout most of the readings and assignments is the conflicting, often competing, roles that the lure of complex technologies and the comfort of simpler, older ones play in all our lives." Six thematic units contain readings separated into smaller units that enable students to focus on a limited topic, to read a few selections on that topic, and to write analytically in response to differing viewpoints. Extensive pedagogy includes reading headnotes with pre-reading questions, aphorisms that provide occasions for short writing assignments in each unit, and writing ssignments that consider each reading cluster together." For beginning composition writers.