US Power and the Internet in International Relations: The Irony of the Information Age

Product Description


Despite the pervasiveness of the Internet and its importance to a wide range of state functions, we still have little understanding of its implications in the context of International Relations. Combining the Philosophy of Technology with IR theories of power, this study explores state power in the information age.



Review


“Carr has produced an honest account of power in the information age. It is certainly worth a read for those contemplating the complex nascent field of IR in the era of cyberspace. People would likely enjoy it both at the start of their academic journey and further into it, as a way of seeking perspective. The book’s qualities allow it to also lend itself to interesting debate around where the US power is headed and, indeed, its relevance altogether.” (Ana Stuparu, Australian Institute of International Affairs, internationalaffairs.org.au, December, 2017)



From the Back Cover


Despite the pervasiveness of the Internet and its importance to a wide range of state functions, we still have little understanding of the implications of this technology for power in the context of International Relations. Existing International Relations theories of power, developed in the context of industrial technology, have struggled to incorporate the complexities of the Internet. This book combines the Philosophy of Technology with theories about power from International Relations in order to build a conceptual framework for the study of state power in the information age. It utilises this framework for the study of how conceptions of US power have shaped and influenced three aspects of Internet technology; cyber security; Internet governance and network neutrality. In doing so, this study contributes some forward momentum to the stalled debates in International Relations about whether the Internet enhances state power more than it undermines it.


About the Author


Madeline Carr is a Senior Lecturer in International Politics and the Cyber Dimension in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, UK. She has published widely on Internet freedom, the public-private partnership, and multi-stakeholder Internet governance. Madeline is a founding member of the newly established ISA section STAIR (Science, Technology and Arts in International Relations), and she has been funded by the British Academy and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).