(Re)Inventing the Internet : Critical Case Studies

4e de couv. : " Although it has been in existence for over three decades, the Internet remains a contested technology. Its governance and role in civic life, education, and entertainment are all still openly disputed and debated. The issues include censorship and network control, privacy and surveillance, the political impact of activist blogging, peer to peer file sharing, the effects of video games on children, and many others. Media conglomerates, governments and users all contribute to shaping the forms and functions of the Internet as the limits and potentialities of the technologies are tested and extended. What is most surprising about the Internet is the proliferation of controversies and conflicts in which the creativity of ordinary users plays a central role. The title, (Re)Inventing the Internet, refers to this extraordinary flowering of agency in a society that tends to reduce its members to passive spectators. This collection presents a series of critical case studies that examine specific sites of change and contestation. These cover a range of phenomena including computer gaming cultures, online education, surveillance, and the mutual shaping of digital technologies and civic life " (RE)INVENTING THE INTERNET 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 PREFACE: The Internet, as Though Agency Mattered 8 NOTES 10 REFERENCES 10 I. CODE AND COMMUNICATION 12 INTRODUCTION: Toward a Critical Theory of the Internet 13 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 14 TECHNOLOGY IN FLUX 19 THREE MODELS 21 The Information Model 21 The consumption model 21 The community model 22 THE POLITICAL INTERNET 24 NOTES 26 REFERENCES 26 II. PLAY AND SCHOOL ONLINE 28 RATIONALIZING PLAY: A Critical Theory of Digital Gaming 29 INTRODUCTION 29 GAMES AS SYSTEMS OF SOCIAL RATIONALITY 31 FROM RULES TO LUDIFICATION 35 CASE STUDY: LUDIFICATION IN WORLD OF WARCRAFT 41 Reflexivity 41 Boundedness 43 Rule-Governedness 44 Precision 45 Playfulness 46 CONCLUSION 47 REFERENCES 48 ALTERNATIVE RATIONALISATIONS AND AMBIVALENT FUTURES: A Critical History of Online Education 50 THE QUESTION OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 50 A DETERMINISTIC POLITICS OF ONLINE EDUCATION 51 COMPUTERISATION AND COMMODIFICATION – THE CASE OF CAI 54 FROM COMMODIFICATION TO COMMUNICATION: COMPUTER CONFERENCING AT WBSI 60 A REVISED POLITICS OF ONLINE EDUCATION 66 QUESTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 68 CONCLUSION: POLICY AND DESIGN 71 NOTES 73 REFERENCES 74 III. THE CIVIC INTERNET 78 EXPERIENCING SURVEILLANCE: A Phenomenological Approach 79 INTRODUCTION: PHENOMENOLOGY AND SURVEILLANCE STUDIES1 79 SARTRE’S “THE LOOK” 81 THE BANK MACHINE 84 EXTENDED CORPOREAL TRACES AND PROXIMITY 85 SUBJECTIVITY AND SURVEILLANCE STUDIES 87 NOTES 89 REFERENCES 89 SUBACTIVISM: Lifeworld and Politics in the Age of the Internet 91 INTRODUCTION 91 MODELS OF CITIZENSHIP 93 IDENTITY AND SUBJECT POSITIONS 95 THE POLITICAL: AN EXPANDING DOMAIN 96 THE INTERNET AND SUBACTIVISM 101 Methodology 101 What Is Civic Participation? 102 Personal, Political, or In-Between: Spotting Subactivism in the Quotidian 103 Submerged Activism: Engaging the Political Interpersonally 105 A Matter of Reach: Political Participation from the Living Room 108 CONCLUSION 111 NOTES 112 REFERENCES. 113 HACKING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: The Politics of Prefigurative Technology 115 INTRODUCTION 115 INVENTING THE INTERNET 116 THE TECHNICAL CODE OF THE INTERNET 117 TECHNOLOGY AS A ‘SCENE OF STRUGGLE’ 119 THE MICROPOLITICS OF RESISTANCE 120 TECH ACTIVISM’S RADICAL ROOTS 120 FREE SOFTWARE VS. OPEN SOURCE 121 SECOND WAVE TECH ACTIVISM: REPOLITICIZING TECHNOLOGY 122 THE BIRTH OF INDYMEDIA 124 WILD WILD WIKIS: THE LATEST FRONTIER 126 FROM TWIKI TO FOSWIKI: THE EVOLUTION OF A WIKI 128 THE EMANCIPATORY POWER OF WIKIS? 130 CONCLUSION 132 NOTES 133 REFERENCES 133 INDEX 137 Although It Has Been In Existence For Over Three Decades, The Internet Remains A Contested Technology. Its Governance And Role In Civic Life, Education, And Entertainment Are All Still Openly Disputed And Debated. The Issues Include Censorship And Network Control, Privacy And Surveillance, The Political Impact Of Activist Blogging, Peer To Peer File Sharing, The Effects Of Video Games On Children, And Many Others. Media Conglomerates, Government And Users All Contribute Shaping The Forms And Functions Of The Internet As The Limits And Potentialities Of The Technologies Are Tested And Extended. What Is Most Surprising About The Internet Is The Proliferation Of Controversies And Conflicts In Which The Creativity Of Ordinary Users Plays A Central Role. The Title, (re)inventing The Internet, Refers To This Extraordinary Flowering Of Agency In A Society That Tends To Reduce Its Members To Passive Spectators. This Collection Presents A Series Of Critical Case Studies That Examine Specific Sites Of Change And Contestation. These Cover A Range Of Phenomena Including Computer Gaming Cultures, Online Education, Surveillance And The Mutual Shaping Of Digital Technologies And Civic Life.--publisher's Website. Preface. Code And Communication. Introduction: Toward A Critical Theory Of The Internet / Andrew Feenberg -- Play And School Online. Rationalizing Play: A Critical Theory Of Digital Gaming / Sara M Grimes And Andrew Feenberg -- Alternative Rationalisations And Ambivalent Futures: A Critical History Of Online Education / Edward Hamilton And Andrew Feenberg -- The Civic Internet. Experiencing Surveillance; A Phenomenological Approach / Norm Friesen, Andrew Feenberg, Grace Smith, And Shannon Lowe -- Subactivism: Lifeworld And Politics In The Age Of The Internet / Maria Bakardjieva -- Hacking For Social Justice: The Politics Of Prefigurative Technology / Kate Milberry. Edited By Andrew Feenberg, Norm Friesen. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.