Global networking, communication and culture : conflict of convergence? : spread of ICT, Internet governance, superorganism humanity and global culture

Pursuing an interdisciplinary approach, this book offers detailed insights into the empirical relationships between overall social key figures of states and cultures in the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) (digital divide/inequality), the economy, education and religion. Its goal is to bridge the ‘cultural gap’ between computer scientists, engineers, economists, social and political scientists by providing a mutual understanding of the essential challenges posed and opportunities offered by a global information and knowledge society. In a sense, the historically unprecedented technical advances in the field of ICT are shaping humanity at different levels and forming a hybrid (intelligent) human-technology system, a so-called global superorganism. The main innovation is the combined study of digitization and globalization in the context of growing social inequalities, collapse, and sustainable development, and how a convergence towards a kind of global culture could take place. Accordingly, the book discusses the spread of ICT, Internet Governance, the balance between the central concentration of power and the extent of decentralized power distribution, the inclusion or exclusion of people and states in global communication processes, and the capacity for global empathy or culture. Foreword by Vinton G. Cerf Foreword by Franz Josef Radermacher Foreword by Rainer Wieland Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Acronyms Part I Part I Preparation of the Topic 1 1 Introduction 1.1 Situation 1.2 Motivation 1.3 Question 1.4 Contribution 2 2 Fundamentals 2.1 Terms 2.1.1 Global Networking 2.1.2 Communication 2.1.3 Culture and Cultural System 2.1.4 Conflict 2.1.5 Convergence 2.2 Concepts 2.2.1 Digital Divide and Digital Inequality 2.2.2 Internet Governance 2.2.3 Superorganism 2.2.4 Global Culture 2.3 Key Figures 2.3.1 Information and Communications Technology 2.3.2 Economic Performance and Social Balance 2.3.3 Education Level 2.3.4 Worldview 2.4 Data Management and Statistical Methods 2.4.1 Data Procurement, Storage, Processing and Analysis 2.4.2 Descriptive Statistics 2.4.3 Method of Least Squares 2.4.4 Correlation Analysis 2.4.5 Regression Analysis 2.4.6 Simple Regression 2.4.7 Multiple Regression 2.4.8 Test Functions 2.5 Expert Interviews 3 3 State of Affairs 3.1 Empirical Analysis of the Global Spread of ICT 3.1.1 Global Networking, Economic Performance and Education Level 3.1.2 Global Networking and Worldview 3.2 Power Issues and Reflections on Possible Future Developments 3.2.1 Internet Governance 3.2.2 Superorganism Humanity 3.2.3 Global Culture Part II Part II Empirical Analyses of the Global Spread of ICT 4 4 Global Networking: Relation to Economic Performance and Education Level 4.1 Global Networking and Economic Performance 2000–2013 4.1.1 Fixed Telephony and Economic Performance 4.1.2 Mobile Telephony and Economic Performance 4.1.3 Internet and Economic Performance 4.1.4 Internet and Social Balance 4.1.5 Mobile Internet and Economic Performance 4.1.6 Intermediate Result 4.2 Global Networking and Education Level 2000–2012 4.2.1 Fixed Telephony and Literacy 4.2.2 Fixed Telephone and Education Index 4.2.3 Mobile Telephony and Literacy 4.2.4 Mobile Telephony Education Index 4.2.5 Internet and Literacy 4.2.6 Internet and Education Index 4.2.7 Mobile Internet and Literacy 4.2.8 Mobile Internet and Education Index 4.2.9 Intermediate Result 4.3 Combination of Key Figures Between 2000 and 2012 4.3.1 Fixed Telephony, Economic Performance and Education Level 4.3.2 Mobile Telephony, Economic Performance and Education Level 4.3.3 Internet, Economic Performance and Education Level 4.3.4 Mobile Internet, Economic Performance and Education Level 4.3.5 Intermediate Result 4.4 System Theoretical Approach for Determining the Interaction of Key Figures 4.4.1 Interaction Between Economic Performance and Education Level 4.4.2 Interaction Between ICTs 4.4.3 Intermediate Result 4.5 Conclusion 5 5 Global Networking and Worldview 5.1 Global Networking: Christianity and Islam 2010 5.1.1 Fixed Telephony 5.1.2 Mobile Telephony 5.1.3 Internet 5.1.4 Mobile Internet 5.1.5 Economic Performance 5.1.6 Intermediate Result 5.2 Global Networking: Buddhism and Hinduism 2010 5.2.1 Fixed Telephony 5.2.2 Mobile Telephony 5.2.3 Internet 5.2.4 Mobile Internet 5.2.5 Economic Performance 5.2.6 Intermediate Result 5.3 Global Networking: Judaism and Other Worldviews 2010 5.3.1 Fixed Telephony 5.3.2 Mobile Telephony 5.3.3 Internet 5.3.4 Mobile Internet 5.3.5 Economic Performance 5.3.6 Intermediate Result 5.4 Global Networking and Religion Diversity 2010 5.4.1 Fixed Telephony 5.4.2 Mobile Telephony 5.4.3 Internet and Religion Diversity 5.4.4 Mobile Internet 5.4.5 Economic Performance 5.4.6 Intermediate Result 5.5 Conclusion Part III Part III Power Issues and Reflections on Possible Future Developments 6 6 Global Networking, Power and Control Issues 6.1 Internet Governance Ecosystem 6.1.1 Historical Development 6.1.2 Technical Power of Control 6.1.3 Economic Power of Control 6.1.4 Political Power of Control 6.2 Bargaining Positions of Some States and Cultures 6.2.1 United States of America 6.2.2 Germany 6.2.3 China 6.2.4 India 6.2.5 Russia 6.2.6 Arab World 6.2.7 Latin America 6.2.8 Africa 6.3 Change of Power Structures on the Way to a Global Information Society 6.4 Conclusion 7 7 The Global Superorganism as an Intelligent Human-Technology System 7.1 The Development of Humanity to a Global Superorganism 7.1.1 Superorganism Humanity as Autopoietic System 7.1.2 Communication as a Driving Force in Superorganisms 7.1.3 Evolution Based on Cooperation 7.2 Always More Intelligent Human-Machine-Systems 7.2.1 Intelligence of Social and Technical Systems 7.2.2 The Internet (of Things) as a Digital Nervous Network 7.2.3 Technical Intelligence: Example Automotive Cars and Algorithmic Trading Systems 7.3 Cultural Challenges 7.3.1 Inclusion Instead of Exclusion 7.3.2 Balance Between Central and Distributed Control 7.3.3 Global and Cultural Empathy 7.4 Conclusion 8 8 Convergence Towards a Global Culture? 8.1 The Term Global Culture 8.2 Three Fundamental Future Scenarios 8.2.1 Collapse – Overshoot and Decline Enforced by Nature 8.2.2 Increasing Social Inequality – Overshoot and Managed Decline 8.2.3 Balance – Sustainable Future 8.3 Global Culture, World Ethos and World Consensus 8.3.1 Economical Culture as Part of a Global Culture 8.3.2 Educational Culture as Part of a World Ethos 8.3.3 Religious Culture and World Ethos as a Basis for a Global Culture 8.4 No Clash of Cultures 8.5 Conclusion 9 9 Closing Remarks 9.1 Summary 9.2 Outlook 9.3 Conclusion Appendix A Categorization of Countries A.1 Economic Performance (GDPpC) A.2 Education Index (EI) A.3 Adult Literacy Rate (ALR) A.4 Worldview Appendix B Statistical Tests B.1 Correlation Between Economic Performance (GDPpC) and Internet Penetration Rate (IPR), Year 2000 B.2 Relationship Between Adult Literacy Rate (ALR) and Internet Penetration Rate (IPR), Year 2000 B.3 Multivariate Regression on the Basis of the Least–Square–Method References "Efforts to develop the Internet protocols were international from the beginning. The Internet has significantly contributed to globalization processes and transcultural interactions which will continue into the future ... Bridging the cultural gap between the technical and political communities should not be underestimated as cooperation between these two stakeholders plays a central role, especially in the digital transformation of society ... As the system evolved and spread, we hoped that the Internet and the technologies that support it could contribute to greater democracy, freedom of speech and human rights worldwide ... There is no guarantee that a single, global society will emerge from the widespread use of the Internet and ICTs." Vinton G. Cerf "This book gives deep insights into global networking processes and a signal that can stimulate hope. At least for one of the most powerful technologies available in the world, we have similar attitudes worldwide and between all cultures, concerning usage. We see clear convergence in access and usage which is due to the relative low cost of technology, its huge enabling potential to mobilize people and the increasing emphasis on education as well as higher income worldwide." Franz Josef Radermacher "Mr. Ünver has his finger on the pulse of our times and demonstrates clearly and comprehensively, with his elaborations, that communication media offers, more than anything else, the chance for establishing global balance. He states clearly that it is not cultural or even religious differences that hinder the use or access to these technologies. Rather, the divergent use of communication technologies results from differing conditions concerning prosperity and education. Through his book, he supports the global demand of taking a path towards more balanced income and education levels, in line with the positions of the United Nations, OECD and the European Union." Rainer Wieland The interdisciplinary approach of this book gives detailed insights into empirical relationships between overall social key figures of states and cultures in the fields of ICT (digital divide/inequality), economy, education, and religion. In a sense, the historically singular technical progress in the field of ICT shapes humanity at different levels and develops a hybrid (intelligent) human-technology system, a so-called global superorganism. The main innovation is the combined study of digitization and globalization in the context of increasing social inequality, collapse, and sustainable development and how a convergence towards a kind of global culture can take place. Thereby, the spread of ICT, Internet Governance, balance between the central concentration of power and the extent of decentralized power distribution, the inclusion or exclusion of people and states in global communication processes, and the capacity for global empathy or culture are discussed. The book intends to bridge the 'cultural gap' between computer scientist, engineers, economists, social and political scientists by providing a mutual understanding of essential challenges and possibilities of a global information and knowledge society. Halit Ünver