Suchergebnisse

As co-editors of this themed section of New Media & Society, we introduce the four articles comprising the section and briefly address facets of the changes transpiring in scholarly publishing and, more generally, scholarly communication. A plethora of issues and developments is related to this transformation and we suggest the diversity and challenges involved. We mention one development in more detail, enhanced publishing, and conclude with promising inroads for theoretical understanding and empirical investigation of how scholarly publishing and communication are evolving.

The need for evaluation of hyperbole surrounding the purported promise of digital democracy is cited. A history of enthusiasm for cyberpolitics highlights three basic claims & includes references to Rheingold, Gore, Huizenga, & Brants. Three empirical investigations are combed for well-grounded data on the Internet's political impact. There is a review of Schneider's Usenet-related study of computer-mediated communication regarding democracy & abortion issues. Figures comparing the cumulative percent of posts with the number of authors accompany discussion of conclusions. Recounting of a 1996 experiment with software aimed at enabling populist input, opinion polls, & voting in the Netherlands precedes the details of a 1998 Website for the elderly. There is assessment of the three studies' abilities to deliver on promises of access to information, engagement in deliberation, & participation in decision making. 2 Figures, 40 References. M. C. Leary