Best books and articles on the role of "information" and science in society?

July 1, 2011 7:34 AM

Best books and articles on the role of "information" and science in society?

For research purposes, I am putting together a reading list of the best books and articles on the role of information and science in society, such as Ted Porter's "Trust in Numbers". Examples of the sort of thing I am looking for are at http://www.fims.uwo.ca/people/faculty/frohmann/LIS602/Topics.htm and http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/academics/courses/is212/s04/. Any suggestions for other items to add to this (including other online reading lists) would be appreciated, thanks.

posted by Grinder to society & culture (11 answers total)

I haven't read it (waiting for paperback), but I've heard a lot of good things about James Gleick's new book.
posted by theodolite at 7:37 AM on July 1, 2011

Glut, by Alex Wright might be a good recent addition to the list as well.
posted by activitystory at 8:16 AM on July 1, 2011

I've also heard good things about Gleick's book. (But I'm also waiting for paperback. I mean, it's not like it's going to go out of date.)
posted by madcaptenor at 8:34 AM on July 1, 2011

Marshall McLuhan. He's having a bit of a renaissance these days. (Well, his work is - he's still dead.)
posted by Sticherbeast at 9:21 AM on July 1, 2011

Ecologies of Knowledge might be good for the "science" part of your question. It's a book of essays dealing how scientists "know stuff" and share their "known stuff."
posted by pantarei70 at 9:24 AM on July 1, 2011

Daniel Headrick's When Information Came of Age is great if you want a historicized perspective on this.
posted by dizziest at 9:25 AM on July 1, 2011

And, um, there's a paperback edition that doesn't cost more than a hundred dollars. I probably should have linked to that instead.
posted by dizziest at 9:27 AM on July 1, 2011

Some of Sherry Turkle's books might be of interest.
posted by perhapses at 10:02 AM on July 1, 2011

I enjoyed this one. Not being an expert I can't rank it but it was a fun read:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Social-Life-Information-Seely-Brown/dp/0875847625
posted by natteringnabob at 10:28 AM on July 1, 2011

Thanks for all the suggestions. "Ecologies of Knowledge" is exactly the sort of thing that I am looking for. I'll have to re-read McLuhan - it's been a long time...
posted by Grinder at 12:37 PM on July 1, 2011

Does Clay Shirky count?
posted by vecchio at 4:05 PM on July 1, 2011