ScholarForum: The Internet and Open Society

The role of the Internet in an open society has been an evolving dialogue over the past decade. Electronic mail has been in existence for over 50 years, and its impact on democracies is still unclear to most. Will communication via the World Wide Web make the world smaller and bring people together? What is the effect of connecting a student from a village in China to a teacher in London? Will governments feel threatened by the freedoms within reach of their people, thereby creating laws prohibiting the dissemination of information? Is the Internet providing people of all ages and ethnicities an opportunity to develop intellectually so that they may compete in the global arena, or is it creating a disparity called the “digital divide”?

In this issue of ScholarForum, contributors express some of these concerns as they investigate the benefits and shortcomings of the Digital Age. They view the Internet as a tool for open societies, with trepidation for its potential harm. The dialogue about the benefits of the Internet versus equality may continue for another 50 years or so before its total impact on democratic nations is clear. In the meantime, the hope is that leaders and citizens will act responsibly by utilizing the Internet as a means to improve civil societies.

This issue also features submissions from Scholarship Programs’ fellows about Russia as well as a personal accounts section and alumni updates.

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