information society


information society

a currently fashionable description of contemporary societies in which information technology and knowledge occupations are seen as occupying a dominant position. A critical discussion of the general concept is provided by F. Webster, Theories of the Information Society (1995). His conclusion is that while there has undoubtedly been a transformation of means of communication and an information explosion, it is premature to talk of the ‘information society’ as wholly supplanting previously established patterns of social relations. See also INTERNET, CASTELLS, POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETY, KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY.