How do norms underpin the new ordering of the internet? A dedicated special issue in Telecommunications Policy answers this question from a multi-disciplinary perspective, with contributions from leading legal and communication scholars, anthropologists, technologists and political scientists, covering topics as diverse as technical standards and legislative processes on content moderation.
The special issue was launched on 14 July and features an editorial on the new research agenda around 'normfare' and nine original research papers. In their contributions, the authors examine the drivers, the constraints and the mechanisms behind normative change in internet governance. From the role of China in mobile Internet standards to how cybersecurity discussions are shaped at the United Nations, the articles discuss the assiduous development of norms of very different character initiated and/or pursued by a variety of Internet stakeholders in highly contested arenas.
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Dr Roxana Radu, Research Associate at the Global Governance Centre, was the lead editor of the special issue. Her research focuses on the governance of technical resources, Internet policy-making and societal challenges.