[Air-l] interesting new book

[david silver]

Folks,

This new book might be of interest to members of A(o)IR ... many of its
contributors are among us.

david silver
http://faculty.washington.edu/dsilver/

******

Community Informatics:
Shaping Computer-Mediated Social Relations

Edited by Leigh Keeble & Brian D. Loader

Routledge, 2001

ISBN 0415231116 (hardcover), 0415231124 (paperback)

Will the Internet destroy community life or be the catalyst for its
resurrection?

Community groups, social support networks, voluntary agencies and
government organisations are all actively exploring the potential of
the new information and communications technologies (ICTs) to bring
about democratic development and renewal.  A rich variety of social
experiments in what has become known as Community Informatics is now
beginning to provide useful research findings and exciting examples
of innovative applications.  This book sets down some of the defining
features of a Community Informatics approach and some of the common
themes which are emerging.  In particular it considers the following
issues:

  * Sustainability
  * Employment
  * Community management
  * Public service provision
  * Partnerships of stakeholders
  * Local learning
  * Social support and networks

This edited collection brings together leading exponents of Community
Informatics from around the world and critically evaluates their
experiences.

CONTENTS

Notes on Contributors
Preface by Howard Rheingold

1.      Community Informatics: themes & issues
        Leigh Keeble & Brian Loader

2.      Staten Island Stories - handing over the tools of video
        communi-creation
        Perry Bard

Part 1 -- Communaity Informatics as Place and Space

3.      Physical Place & Cyberplace: The Rise of Networked Individualism
        Barry Wellman

4.      Creating Community in Conspiracy with the Enemy
        Erik Stolterman

5.      The Technological Story of a Woman's Centre: A Feminist Model
        of User Centred Design
        Eileen Green & Leigh Keeble

6.      The Safety Net? Some reflections on the emergence of computer
        mediated self-help and social support.
        Nicholas Pleace, Roger Burrows, Brian D Loader, Sarah
        Nettleton & Steve Muncer

Part 2 -- The Experience of Community Informatics

7.      Community Networks and Access for all in the Era of the 'Free'
        Internet: "Discovering the Treasure" of community.
        Fiorella De Cindio, L Ripamonti & G Casapulla.

8.      On Crafting a Study of Digital Community Networks: theoretical
        and methodological considerations.
        Nicholas Jankowski, Martine Van Selm & Ed Hollander.

9.      Community Networking in Russia: identifying the research agenda.
        Sergei Stafeev

10.     Some Lessons of Social Experiments with Technology
        Birgit Jaeger

11.     Change Agency and Women's Learning: new practices in Community
        Informatics
        Anne Scott & Margaret Page

Part 3 -- Electronic Empowerment and Surveillance

12.     Social Capital and Cyberpower in the African American Community:
        A case study of a community technology centre in the dual city.
        Abdul Alkalimat & Kate Williams

13.     Online Forums as a Tool for People-Centred Governance:
        experiences from local government in Sweden.
        Agneta Ranerup

14.     Surveillance in the Community: Community development through
        the use of Closed Circuit Television.
        C William, R Webster & John Hood

15.     The Techno-Flaneur: Tele-Erotic Re-Presentations of Women's
        Life spaces
        Tamara Seabrook & Louise Wattis

Part 4 -- Policy Implications of Community Informatics

16.     Community Informatics: Setting out the Research Agenda
        Mike Gurstein

17.     Cultivating Society's Civic Intelligence: patterns for a new
        "world brain".
        Doug Schuler

18.     Participating in the Information Society: Community
        Development and Social Inclusion
        Peter Day

19.     Communities and Community E-Gateways: Networking for Social
        Inclusion
        Sonia Liff & Fred Steward

Glossary
Bibliography
Index