Cyberspace: The World in the Wires [Paperback]

Rob Kitchin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471978620 | ISBN-13: 978-0471978626 | Publication Date: June 17, 1998 | Edition: 1

Cyberspace the world in the wires The most comprehensive introduction available to the full breadth of recent social scientific debates about cyberspace. In clear, jargon-free prose it presents an interdisciplinary synthesis of the most important recent material from social theory, cultural studies, sociology, political science, geography and planning. An excellent teaching text. Stephen Graham A detailed and accessible outline of the history and approaches to the Internet and virtual realities, highlighting the importance of cyberspace as an economic and cultural project and exposing the links which ground virtual realities in our lives. Rob Shields A wide-ranging review of how new technologies are changing the social and organizational landscape of late capitalism and the postmodern world. The challenge is to show how new technologies interact with social practices -- Kitchin succeeds admirably, providing us with a unique synthesis. One of the best maps of cyberspace to date. Michael Batty Cyberspace -- the most over-hyped term of the late 20th Century -- is really transforming our lives. The way we work, find information, find entertainment how we do business, how we communicate with each other, how we understand time and space -- cyberspatial technology has changed all this. It has also raised new questions about who has (and who ultimately controls) access to new technology and thus to information, how new cultural and political groupings can be created regardless of geography and even of policing, how cities and economies can restructure to remain globally competitive, about the individual's right to information, the power of information over the power of capital, and about where our bodies end and our machines begin. This is the first complete and systematic analysis of cyberspace and virtual technologies, covering not only technological developments but their social, cultural, political and economic implications.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...an excellent introduction to the technologies of cyberspace" (TIBG, Vol.27, No.1, 2002)

From the Back Cover

Cyberspace the world in the wires The most comprehensive introduction available to the full breadth of recent social scientific debates about cyberspace. In clear, jargon-free prose it presents an interdisciplinary synthesis of the most important recent material from social theory, cultural studies, sociology, political science, geography and planning. An excellent teaching text. Stephen Graham A detailed and accessible outline of the history and approaches to the Internet and virtual realities, highlighting the importance of cyberspace as an economic and cultural project and exposing the links which ground virtual realities in our lives. Rob Shields A wide-ranging review of how new technologies are changing the social and organizational landscape of late capitalism and the postmodern world. The challenge is to show how new technologies interact with social practices — Kitchin succeeds admirably, providing us with a unique synthesis. One of the best maps of cyberspace to date. Michael Batty Cyberspace — the most over-hyped term of the late 20th Century — is really transforming our lives. The way we work, find information, find entertainment how we do business, how we communicate with each other, how we understand time and space — cyberspatial technology has changed all this. It has also raised new questions about who has (and who ultimately controls) access to new technology and thus to information, how new cultural and political groupings can be created regardless of geography and even of policing, how cities and economies can restructure to remain globally competitive, about the individual’s right to information, the power of information over the power of capital, and about where our bodies end and our machines begin. This is the first complete and systematic analysis of cyberspace and virtual technologies, covering not only technological developments but their social, cultural, political and economic implications.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471978620
• ISBN-13: 978-0471978626
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,504,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent analysis on all aspects of cyberspace!, February 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cyberspace: The World in the Wires (Paperback)

Very nice book with a lot of interesting thoughts about how cyberspace can be conceptualised. If you are interested in a more theoretical approach,then you have to buy this book. Social, political, economic implications of cyberspace are discussed, very helpfull handbook if you're working on empirical studies in/about cyberspace.

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource and discussion piece, March 16, 2000

By 

D. Pauline (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyberspace: The World in the Wires (Paperback)

A huge contribution to a rapidly developing area of our lives and the future. Written with balance and interest it informs, yet poses further questions of pertinent relevance. Excellent value and of huge use to me in my Geography studies.