The Routledge Handbook of Information History
Toni Weller editor Alistair Black editor Laura Skouvig editor Bonnie Mak editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:22nd Apr '25
£230.00
This title is due to be published on 22nd April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
The Routledge Handbook of Information History offers a definitive, inclusive and far-reaching study of how information practices have influenced, and been influenced by, society, politics, culture and technology over past millennia.
Information is often considered a defining characteristic of modern society, but it is far from a modern phenomenon. In the last decades historians have started to ask new questions about how information was understood in the past, suggesting that it has a history which is long, complex and multifaceted. This influential new volume is the first large-scale collection to use the term Information History as its titular focus, situating information within the historiography of the field. It showcases a diverse collection of over forty international contributors who explore information practices from antiquity to the contemporary world, with geographical coverage ranging across Europe, Africa, Asia, as well as North and South America.
Including overview essays alongside a wide range of in-depth empirical studies, this ground-breaking collection will appeal to scholars and students in the social sciences, arts and humanities, and offers readers unique insights into how historical practices have influenced the understanding and role of information in our modern world.
“Information always has a modern ring to it, but as we enter the AI revolution, we would do well to remember that many of the basic challenges we face today have roots that lead back to antiquity. This essential book shows just how deeply the origins of the modern information revolution are rooted in the past.”
Jacob Soll, University Professor and Professor of Philosophy, History, and Accounting, University of Southern California, USA
“This is a refreshingly broad compilation, one which offers a provocative look across information-related practices, delving into cultural and historical specificities as a way to ensure that information history emerges at large as a vital area of study.”
Lisa Gitelman, New York University, USA
ISBN: 9781032316079
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
728 pages