[Asis-l] Critical information studies - A bibliographic

[rhill at asis.org]

[Posted on behalf of Dr. Eugene Garfield.  Dick Hill]

TITLE:          Afterword: Critical information studies - A bibliographic
                manifesto (Review, English)
AUTHOR:         Vaidhyanathan, S
SOURCE:         CULTURAL STUDIES 20 (2-3). MAR-MAY 2006. p.292-315
                ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, ABINGDON

SEARCH TERM(S):  BIBLIOGRAPHIC*  item_title

KEYWORDS:       copyright; cultural policy; intellectual property; law;
                regulation; semiotic democracy
KEYWORDS+:       COPYRIGHT

ABSTRACT:       This paper takes measure of an emerging scholarly field
that sits at the intersection of many important areas of study. Critical
Information Studies (CIS) considers the ways in which culture and
information are regulated by their relationship to commerce, creativity,
and other human affairs. CIS captures the variety of approaches and
bodies of knowledge needed to make sense of important phenomena such as
copyright policy, electronic voting, encryption, the state of libraries,
the preservation of ancient cultural traditions, and markets for cultural
production. It necessarily stretches to a wide array of scholarly
subjects, employs multiple complementary methodologies, and influences
conversations far beyond the gates of the university. Economists,
sociologists, linguists, anthropologists, ethnomusicologists,
communication scholars, lawyers, computer scientists, philosophers, and
librarians have all contributed to this field, and thus it can serve as a
model for how engaged, relevant scholarship might be carried out. CIS
interrogates the structures, functions, habits, norms, and practices that
guide global flows of information and cultural elements. Instead of being
concerned merely with one's right to speak (or sing or publish), CIS asks
questions about access, costs, and chilling effects on, within, and among
audiences, citizens, emerging cultural creators, indigenous cultural
groups, teachers, and students. Central to these issues is the idea of
'semiotic democracy', or the ability of citizens to employ the signs and
symbols ubiquitous in their environments in manners that they determine.

AUTHOR ADDRESS: S Vaidhyanathan,  
  Vaidhyanathan S (reprint author), NYU, 550 1St Ave, New York, NY 10012 USA


____________________________________________________________________________
__
Eugene Garfield, PhD. email:  garfield at codex.cis.upenn.edu 
home page: www.eugenegarfield.org
Tel: 215-243-2205 Fax 215-387-1266         
                                                                            
                                                                            
Chairman Emeritus, ISI www.isinet.com 
3501 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3302
President, The Scientist LLC. www.the-scientist.com   
400 Market Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2501
Past President, American Society for Information Science and Technology
(ASIS&T) www.asist.org