HIS 205 History and Impact of the Internet
Our time in history has been appropriately characterized as the "Information Age". This course examines the development of one of our central information institutions, the networks of networks we call "the Internet", along with its hardware infrastructure, applications running from the World Wide Web to electronic mail to online gaming, its massive socioeconomic footprint, and its dizzying pace of socio-technical change. Although it is important that we understand the underlying technologies to some degree, our emphasis in the course is on the long-term effects of these developments on individuals, organizations, institutions, and societies. This course divides the history of the Internet into three general periods: up to 1992 (initial development of the technology and systems); 1992-2001 (commercialization of the Internet, culminating in the "dot-com bubble"); and 2001 –date (development of Web 2.0, social media, and interactivity). Students will also consider the potential future of the Internet in light of its development and its transformational impact on society.