Mission: In the 21st century, information is one of the most contested resources in the int
ernational system. Social, political and business actors engaged in reshaping the global order, ranging from activists to nations to international organizations to terrorists and celebrities attempt to appropriate information flows and narratives to their advantage. The center is an interdisciplinary initiative engaging with different modes of this contested appropriation by examining the processes, mechanisms, and actors behind it.

We are looking at the infrastructure of global information flows, top-down policies, and strategic tools devised by national governments, international NGOs and organizations, amongst other actors, as well as at the bottom-up reception and global maneuvering of information by grassroots groups, such as local activists, journalists, artists, and feminist groups. We critically examine global information flows as containing elements of globalization and hybridity, and use diverse theoretical lenses in our analysis, including strategic communication, globalization, political economy, and cultural studies. We welcome and engage with diverse empirical toolkits for studying global information flows, ranging from quantitative methodology to field ethnography and participant observation. Housed in the Department of Communication, the center is intertwined with and works directly with other disciplines, including political science, global studies, international relations, sociology, public policy, law, and anthropology.

Our center is uniquely positioned to tackle the complex mosaic of global information flows, with scholarly expertise spanning from the Middle East to China, Europe, Russia and the United States. We are also linking theoretical and empirical study with practitioner perspectives, aligning with Atlanta partners at CNN, Carter Center, and Georgia Tech.

 

Location: 25 Park Place NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA. 9th Floor, Suite 914.

Contact: Maria Repnikova, Acting Director: [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter: @CGISatGSU