Internet Politic

In the developed world, there is no longer an issue of whether the Internet affects politics--but how, why and with what consequences. With the Internet now spreading at a breathtaking rate in the developing world, the new medium is fraught with tensions, paradoxes, and contradictions. How do we make sense of these? In this major new work, Andrew Chadwick addresses such concerns, providing the first comprehensive overview of Internet politics. Internet Politics examines the impact of new communication technologies on political parties and elections, pressure groups, social movements, local democracy, public bureaucracies, and global governance. It also analyzes persistent and controversial policy problems, including the digital divide; the governance of the Internet itself; the tensions between surveillance, privacy and security; and the political economy of the Internet media sector. The approach is explicitly comparative, providing numerous examples from the U.S., Britain, and many other countries. Written in a clear and accessible style, this theoretically sophisticated and up-to-date text reveals the key difference the Internet makes in how we "do" politics and how we "think about" political life. Featuring numerous figures, tables, and text boxes, Internet Politics is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in political science, international relations, and communication studies.
"Chadwick provides us with the most comprehensive look at the Internet and politics to date. This valuable text covers the history of the Internet, patterns of citizen use, debates over the impact of e-politics, and comparative perspectives on e-government, citizen participation, activism, privacy issues, and the governance issues facing the most decisive political technology of the twenty-first century. A most impressive work."--W. Lance Bennett, University of Washington

"Its strengths include exemplary organization of the topics, extremely thorough research, and the inclusion of just about every significant source or opinion on the issues addressed. Chadwick has done a remarkable and superb job with this book. It will be an outstanding contribution to the literature on the Internet's impact on society."--Gary Chapman, The University of Texas at Austin

"It tells the stories it needs to tell in a very clear, pithy way. It covers the issues I think most research scholars are addressing and that most students should be discussing."--Ken Rogerson, Duke University

"The most thorough and comprehensive textbook available about the Internet and politics--Chadwick is able to combine well-crafted introductory material aimed at students first approaching the subject with an erudite overview of the leading research literature."--Bruce Bimber, University ofCalifornia at Santa Barbara

Preface; List of Figures, Tables, and Panels; 1. Introduction; PART ONE: CONTEXTS; 2. Internet Politics: Some Conceptual Tools; 3. Network Logic: A Political Pre-History of the Internet; 4. Access, Inclusion, and the Digital Divide; PART TWO: INSTITUTIONS; 5. Community, Deliberation and Participation: E-Democracy; 6. Interest Groups and Social Movements: E-Mobilization; 7. Parties, Candidates, and Elections: E-Campaigning; 8. Executives and Bureaucracies: E-Government; PART THREE: ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES; 9. Constructing the "Global Information Society"; 10. The Rise of Internet Governance; 11. Surveillance, Privacy, and Security; 12. The Political Economy of New Media; 13. Conclusion: The Future of Internet Politics; Glossary; Abbreviations and Acronyms; Bibliography; Index