Book Description

Information has a rich but under explored history. The information age of the late twentieth century witnessed the emergence of a new history of information and, in this timely collection of essays, a team of international scholars from a variety of disciplines examines the changing understandings of information in the modern world. Situating the concept of information in varying historical contexts since the eighteenth century, Information History in the Modern World: Histories of the Information Age: - Explores how this historical research can challenge our perceptions of the information age in the global twenty-first century - Discusses ephemera, wars, imagery, empire, identification and the transience of history in the digital era - Argues that the changing uses, perceptions and manifestations of information helped to shape the world we know today. Authoritative and approachable, this is an invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in how and why information has become a distinguishing feature of the modern world.