What should we call the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
Governance – the Cross-Cutting Political Crisis
The world is facing mounting threats – true crises. They include such major issues as climate change, nuclear arms proliferation, trust in information and communication, and artificial intelligence (AI), one of the latest crises to be portrayed as an existential threat. Each has unique and evolving histories, but I take some solace in that many … Continue reading Governance – the Cross-Cutting Political Crisis
The Societal Costs of Attention Deficits
The attention of a goldfish?
Cognitive Politics
In the preface to Harold D. Lasswell’s (1936: v) book entitled Politics, he famously defined politics as the study of ‘who gets what, when, and how’ – also the subtitle of his book. He went on to argue that influence is central to politics and that “[c]oncepts for the study of influence must be changed … Continue reading Cognitive Politics
Cyber Insecurity
If I tell friends and colleagues that I am working on a ‘cybersecurity project’, I can see them mentally move along to other topics. In sounds technical and only technical. Arguably, most internet users and ordinary people generally see cybersecurity as a technical field – one that is likely to be impenetrable or uninteresting … Continue reading Cyber Insecurity
Saving Strunk and White
Looking into one of my College’s hallway recycling bins, as one does, I found a fourth edition paperback of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Arguably, for my generation, as Strunk died the year before I was born, this has been one of the most useful and inspiring books for any young writer or … Continue reading Saving Strunk and White
The Fifth Estate Needs Better Public Information
The following is a comment on my book, The Fifth Estate, from Marian FitzGerald, a Visiting Professor of Criminology at Kent Crime and Justice Centre in Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent and a freelance consultant & researcher. Posted with the permission of Professor FitzGerald. Marian FitzGerald "Your … Continue reading The Fifth Estate Needs Better Public Information
The Magic of Networking in Life and Work
Last week I had the opportunity to speak to an incredibly talented group of rising stars in their respective fields. They were the participants in the Young Muslim Leadership Programme, organized and supported by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and The Prince’s Charities. Participants included a British Muslim doctor, a physicist, a senior business … Continue reading The Magic of Networking in Life and Work
Technology is Catching Up with Seminal Thinkers in Education
I read with interest today that some leading computer scientists believe that AI innovations might well transform basic educational practices, such as what goes on in the classroom. While I agree and believe these changes are most likely to be quite positive, let me suggest that the sequence is somewhat the opposite of what the … Continue reading Technology is Catching Up with Seminal Thinkers in Education
Society and the Internet, AI, and All Things Digital
HIIG and its Advisory Council