[spectre] First announcement: My First Recession by Geert Lovink

[geert lovink]

First Announcement:

My First Recession
Critical Internet Culture in Transition
By Geert Lovink

V2_Publishers, Rotterdam, 2003 (launch October 11, 2003)

My First Recession starts when the party is over. The study maps the
transition of critical Internet culture from the mid-late nineties Internet
euphoria up until the dotcom crash and the subsequent downfall of the global
financial markets and '911.' Ignoring techno-libertarians who blame
governments for the 'tech wreck,' the study sets out to critically examine
contemporary Internet culture. What happens when new media become
widespread? After having a good laugh about absurd dotgone business plans it
is time to prepare for the tough battles ahead. Internet wars are on the
rise. Fueled by spam, virusses and server attacks, tensions on the
ever-expanding Net have increased dramatically. Open, egalitarian Internet
communities have become vulnerable. The 'online Other' is no longer met with
hospitality. The general climate has become one of paranoia, conspiracy and
distrust. Every downloaded email or piece of software can turn out to be a
fatal Trojan horse.

Internet critic Geert Lovink looks into the ambivalent attitude of artists
and activists take as they switch back and forth between euphoria and
scepticism. The book contains case studies of dotcoms, the internal dynamics
of virtual communities, the stagnant situation of online audio and video,
debates over how new media can be taught and designs for a 'free software
society'. The central question is which information architectures deal best
with information overload. How can Internet as an unfinished project
maintain its liberty? Is filtering contrary to the philosophy of openness?
Do peer-to-peer networks such as Napster, weblogs and wireless networks
offer a way out of the growing discontent around new media? My First
Recession is a contribution to the dialogue between citizens, designers,
programmers, business and governments to shape the global network society.
The information infrastructure is too important to be left to technologists
or e-commerce consultants.

Table of Contents: Introduction: Currents in Critical Internet Culture;
Post-speculative Internet Theory, Three Positions: Castells, Dreyfus,
Lessig; Anatomy of Dotcommania, Overview of Recent Literature; Deep Europe
and the Kosovo Conflict, a History of the V2_East/Syndicate Network;
Principles of Streaming Sovereignty, a History of the Xchange Network;
Oekonux and the Free Software Model, From Linux to the GPL-Society; The
Battle over New Media Art Education, Models and Experiences; Defining Open
Publishing, Of Lists and Weblogs; Conclusion: Boundaries and Sustainable
Models.

V2_Publishing
Eendrachtsstraat 10
3012 XL Rotterdam
The Netherlands
tel: +31.10.206.72.72
fax:+31.10.206.72.71
www.publishing.v2.nl
Contact: Joke Brouwer (joke at v2.nl)