Histories of the Internet – A Special Issue of Information & Culture

I am delighted to be working with Thomas Haigh and Andrew Russell on a special issue of Information & Culture focused on the history of the Internet. We have issued a call for papers (late September 2012) and hope to have full papers for review by the end of August 2013. We have encourage prospective authors to send abstracts of proposed papers by the first of March, if they would like feedback on their focus, but an abstract is optional and final selections will be based on peer review of the completed papers.

The editors have a website for the special issue, which you should consult for the most up-to-date and complete information on the special issue. See: www.sigcis.org/InternetIssue.

Scholars engaged in studies of the Internet are aware of the continuing debates surrounding the key developments that have shaped the Internet, Web and related communication and information technologies. People vary over the very definition of the Internet and the relative importance of different individuals, motivations and events in its development. This special issue aims to bring together some of the most current, critical and influential treatments of this rapidly evolving history.

My co-editors and I would welcome your help in alerting colleagues who could contribute to this issue, and would value your own consideration of an original contribution to this call. I look forward to hearing from you in any event.

Of course, if you have comments on the call itself, or the difficulties surrounding histories of the Internet, to not hesitate to comment on this blog. We hope this special issue stimulates further debate and scholarly research on the many histories of the Internet.