Book,
Power and security in the information age: Investigating the role of the state in cyberspace
Ashgate, London, (2007)
Abstract
The marriage of computers and telecommunications, the integration of these technologies into a multimedia system of communication that has global reach, and the fact that they are available worldwide at low cost seems to be bringing about a fundamental transformation in the way humans communicate and interact. But however much consensus there may be on the growing importance of information technology today, agreement is far more elusive when it comes to pinning down the impact of this development on security issues.
This volume focuses on the role of the state in defending against cyber-threats and in securing the information age. The notion that is most uncritically accepted within the overall information security debate is that state power is eroding due to the effects of information and communication technology and that the state is unable to provide security in the information age. This volume challenges the unidimensionality of this statement. Without denying that new challenges for the state have arisen, authors in this volume argue that too much credence is often given to the spectre of an erosion of sovereignty.
Written by scholars in international relations, the manuscript is captivating with the significance and actuality of the issues discussed, and the logical, knowledgeable, and engaged manner of presenting the issues. The essays intrigue and provoke with a number of 'fresh' hypotheses, observations, and suggestions and contribute to mapping the diverse layers, actors, approaches, and policies of the cybersecurity realm.
