Research activities related to Internet Governance

Abstract

My work is interdisciplinary and focuses on the dynamics of the supra-and international institutional structures, their philosophical and normative approaches to policymaking, and the impact of international policy regimes upon national contexts. My current research projects involve the study of communication policy in macro- and meso perspectives. I focus on the ways in which international and global policy regimes formulate and shape policy objectives, but also the ways in which these are connected with the citizenry. Internet governance is a crucial part of the broader information, communication and culture policy agenda in my work, not only because technologies are increasingly converging and interconnect but also because they are used in complimentary ways by the publics, are understood as interrelated by the industry and also increasingly by states. In summary my research projects are: a. European (EU) approaches to regulation of Internet and digital services: analysis of the European approach to the Information Society, audiovisual media and their convergence. How are policies shaped, what are the main priorities; what are the issues emerging for the European project within the global structure of media governance and in its relation to citizens? This work is based on a long standing study of EU and its internal and international role, the development of communication policies and conflicts/tensions in this process. A great deal of material has been based on historical research, the analysis of normative and institutional dynamics and political economy. b. Governance and democratisation around new media technologies: values, principles, ideologies of actors involved in internet policy, as part of global communication policy. I explore the ways in which these policies have an impact for citizenship processes of political, cultural and economic participation. The political economy of the global digital/virtual infrastructure is an important aspect of this strand of research as it connects issues of structural control, content production and consumption and availability/usage of internet. c. The internet as a tool for non-libertarian purposes: globalised human trade on the internet as a question of internet governance: how are the links between the adult industry, trade of women and children and human trafficking made? How is global financial activity of the sex industry shaped and facilitated by the internet? What are the links between pornography, internet and other media technologies especially when it comes to the marketing and adoption of these technologies? To what extend are governance structures available and efficient in protecting human rights? I am currently leading an international network of scholars on a comparative study of these issues. Finally I teach all these aspects in policy modules in postgraduate programmes.