Mobile Communication and Society A Global Perspective : a Project of the Annenberg Research Network on International Communication

Looks at how the possibility of multimodal communication from anywhere to anywhere at any time affects everyday life at home, at work, and at school, and raises concerns about politics and culture both global and local. This book considers the rise of a mobile youth culture with its own language of texting, and its own values. This book discusses how wireless technology is redefining the relationship of communication, technology, and society around the world - in everyday work and life, in youth culture, in politics, and in the developing world. Wireless networks are the fastest growing communications technology in history. Are mobile phones expressions of identity, fashionable gadgets, tools for life - or all of the above? "Mobile Communication and Society" looks at how the possibility of multimodal communication from anywhere to anywhere at any time affects everyday life at home, at work, and at school, and raises broader concerns about politics and culture both global and local. Drawing on data gathered from around the world, the authors explore who has access to wireless technology, and why, and analyze the patterns of social differentiation seen in unequal access. They explore the social effects of wireless communication - what it means for family life, for example, when everyone is constantly in touch, or for the idea of an office when workers can work anywhere. Is the technological ability to multitask further compressing time in our already hurried existence?