Book Review: General Politics: The Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics
| Published date | 01 May 2013 |
| Author | Johannes Fritz |
| Date | 01 May 2013 |
| DOI | 10.1111/1478-9302.12016_66 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
G E N E RA L P O L I T I C S
private sector in welfare – all related phenomena to
excluding those unable to use the internet in a politi-
some extent. The view that globalisation does not
cally meaningful way. Other negative effects include
imply a ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of social expendi-
attempts by states to filter online content in order to
ture is proposed in several chapters. Many of the con-
keep unwanted information from their citizens. Among
tributors endorse Paul Pierson’s (1994) argument that
the unexpected changes is the similarity between the
cutting programmes and spending is more difficult than
internet strategies of political candidates, governments,
expanding them, that the welfare state has proved to be
parties, news media and non-governmental groups in
remarkably resilient and has in many respects success-
different countries, despite their otherwise diverse
fully withstood the supposed neo-liberal assault.
political environment.
The Handbook exhibits a very high standard in terms
The Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics is a timely
of production values. It is, given its price, a work for
contribution since, as the editors write in the introduc-
libraries rather than individual bookshelves, but as a
tion, in the course of the last fifteen years, the ‘politics
work of reference it will be of great value for many
of the internet has entered the social science main-
years.
stream’ (p. 1). The book is not attempting to cover all
facets of internet research or reach conclusions on the
Edwin Griggs
topic. Given the rapid empirical and theoretical devel-
(University of Birmingham)
opment of this new field, this would be a hard goal to
achieve for any longer than a few months. Despite its
The Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics by
original publication as the first handbook...
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