Hypens grammatik

the long version

The Grammar of the Hype (Hypens Grammatik)... - a Monograph in Social Anthropology - at Lund University 2004. The book focuses rather on a particular “hype” than deals with the so-called information society as such. What is implied here is a new type of technology - digital information technology - that was generally introduced in the years before and at the turn of the millennium. My thesis could also be applied to other situations of a similar kind that might be characterised as hypes or as “periods of irrational exuberance” - with those terms, “the hype” can both consist of a specific ideological “-ism” and harbour others. What is usually referred to as “IT within the society” I would consider an excellent illustration of such phenomena for contemporary times. Chapter 2 - The Myth - deals with IT and technology, and how it was manifested in our society at fairs, exhibitions, lectures and conferences1999 and 2000. Chapter 3 - The Users - deals with seven so-called “IT-users” in various context, in working life. Chapter 4 - The Theorists - penetrates the wiews of nine scientist - Nicholas Negroponte, Michael Dertouzos, Seymor Papret, Sherry Turkle, William J. Mitchell, Manuel Castells, Paul Virilio, Richard Sennet, Zygmunt Bauman - and their different analysis focusing on “technology and IT” in the society. Chapter 5 - The grammar of the Hype ... - The conclusions of the above analysis are put in relation to the “IT-users” counterpart. In this chapter I also present theoretical thoughts in order to illustrate the main characteristics and functions of a “hype” in the society. The summary in English of the book is based on chapter 5. It shows how a combination of both social anthropological and socio-psychological perspectives can be used to penetrate the phenomena “technology an IT” as a influential force in the society. Chapter 5 is intended to act as a “highlight” of the main points - 40 pages.