Examines the relationship between the international telephone network and democratization through network analysis. Highlights include principles of modern democracy; community and global interactions; a country's pattern of communication and its relationship to democratic development; and a country's position in the international telephone…

Discusses computer ethics and the use of computer networks. Topics addressed include computer hackers; software piracy; computer viruses and worms; intentional and unintentional abuse; intellectual property rights versus freedom of thought; the role of information in a democratic society; individual privacy; legislation; social attitudes; and the…

Discussion of the impact of the use of information technology on democratic potential highlights the concept of the autopoietic state as a basis for determining appropriate communication policy principles in a network environment. Topics addressed include the relationship between information and power; systems theory; chaos theory; and the…

Investigates the socioeconomic and gender equality aspects of the public's use of PEN (Public Electronic Network), a computer-based interactive communication system provided free to residents of Santa Monica (California). Topics discussed include public terminals; use by homeless people and by women; and participation in political communication…

Discusses using the Internet as a tool for delivering information to rural areas and the possible benefits, such as telecommuting, effective dissemination of medical information, and the promotion of grass-roots activism. The means rural residents use to connect to the Internet and their use of bulletin board systems are described. (nine…

Posits a skeptical critique of the early claims of increased and efficient citizen participation in government due to information technology. Recent experiments have been costly and only marginally successful. Further research suggests that advanced information technology will have little effect on voter apathy. (MJP)

Eight articles discuss the ramifications of the summary report of the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services ("Information 2000") from the perspectives of documents librarians, special libraries, the American Library Association, and Native American library services. The conference themes of democracy, literacy,…

Proposals for shaping the National Information Infrastructure (NII) lack sufficient provision for supporting locally controlled information delivery systems, which could serve all the people, regardless of class or community environment. A system of federally sponsored National and Regional Institutes for Information Democracy could help meet this…

Presents an annotated bibliography of educational resources from the ERIC database related to democratic education. The materials include digests, monographs, journal articles, and academic papers. The citations include all relevant bibliographic information and a short abstract, as well as, information on ordering and locating the materials. (MJP)

"Chronicle of Higher Education" presents an abundant source of news and information for college and university faculty members and administrators. This June 11, 2004 issue of "Chronicle for Higher Education" includes the following articles: (1) "Parlez-Vous Anything?" (Germano, William); (2) "The Colors They…