SUNY Press Series in Computer-Mediated
Communication in Education, Work, & Society

Timothy D. Stephen & Teresa M. Harrison, Editors
Possibly the most important technological innovation of the latter half of the 20th century, "computer-mediated communication" is revolutionizing communication in the global village. Through an exploding assortment of technologies (personal computers, fax, international computer networks, bulletin board systems, conferencing systems, etc.) individuals are now able to communicate with others that, due to geography, time, or financial constraints, they might never otherwise meet. Beyond the convenience of faster and more efficient message exchange, this technology has created a demonstrably novel form of communication, transcending the distinction between written and oral discourse and posing interesting possibilities for dialogue. Furthermore, computer-mediated communication invites us to reconceive existing social relationships and forge new relationships between individuals at school, at work, in political life, and in our increasingly global community.

Computer-mediated communication will affect our lives in dramatic and profound ways; our efforts to understand this new invention defy segmentation by disciplinary boundaries. This series therefore seeks the best research from across the academic spectrum addressing three sets of questions. First, we seek manuscripts that consider questions about how individuals use and respond to computer-mediated communication. What are the differences between this new medium and other more traditional media and face-to-face interactional settings?

Second, we encourage manuscripts that explore the changes that computer-mediated communication is stimulating currently and those that may evolve in various social contexts. Teaching and learning, academic and commercial research, commercial and scholarly publication, organizational life, politics, the law, entertainment, consumerism, and international cooperation are already experiencing some of the effects of this new medium. In short, how will computer-mediated communication change our lives?

Finally, we invite manuscripts that chronicle the development of computer-mediated communication and provide pragmatic advice about how to access material and human resources available through the medium. The technology is new, its development and use already highly dynamic. The configuration of networks, services, uses, audiences, organizations, and finances will no doubt continue to grow and become more complex as we invent increasingly varied applications. Contact Timothy Stephen (Stephen@vm.its.rpi.edu) or Teresa Harrison (Harrison@vm.its.rpi.edu) for more information about the series, to discuss ideas for book proposals, or to send proposals or manuscripts.

KAIROS

Kairos 1.1 (Spring 1996): News