Ideology and the telephone : the social reception of a technology, London 1876-1920
This thesis explores the social reception of the telephone mainly in late-Victorian and Edwardian London. My objective is to understand how urban populations are educated to a new technology, and how technology is socially appraised and embedded. ~The social reception of technology~ is defined as the development and promotion of a new technology, the political reactions and social comment it stimulates, and the nature of its social and geographic diffusion. This approach, I argue, reveals important connections between technology, ideology and social power in the city. The telephone was one of several new space-binding technologies introduced into Britain between 1870 and 1920. The telephone contributed to the creation of a ~networked city~, and to the extension of the ~public sphere~. Because of the telephone's basic characteristics -- its speed and immediacy of communication -- commentators have regarded it as essentially modern and democratic. This view is considered deterministic and an exaggeration of the telephone's early significance. The telephone system developed gradually. Initially an elite technology, the telephone was first used and introduced in traditional ways. Developed in Britain largely by
Stein, Jeremy Leon
Victorian London; Edwardian London
Ideology and the telephone : the social reception of a technology, London 1876-1920. This thesis explores the social reception of the telephone mainly in late-Victorian and Edwardian London. My objective is to understand how urban populations are educated to a new technology, and how technology is socially appraised and embedded. ~The social reception of technology~ is defined as the development and promotion of a new technology, the political reactions and social comment it stimulates, and the nature of its social and geographic diffusion. This approach, I argue, reveals important connections between technology, ideology and social power in the city. The telephone was one of several new space-binding technologies introduced into Britain between 1870 and 1920. The telephone contributed to the creation of a ~networked city~, and to the extension of the ~public sphere~. Because of the telephone's basic characteristics -- its speed and immediacy of communication -- commentators have regarded it as essentially modern and democratic. This view is considered deterministic and an exaggeration of the telephone's early significance. The telephone system developed gradually. Initially an elite technology, the telephone was first used and introduced in traditional ways. Developed in Britain largely by
ideology telephone social reception technology london explores social reception telephone mainly late_victorian edwardian london objective urban_population educate new_technology technology socially appraise embed the social reception technology define development promotion new_technology political reaction social comment nature social geographic diffusion argue reveals important connection technology ideology social_power city telephone several new space binding technology introduce britain telephone contribute_creation city extension public_sphere telephone basic characteristic speed immediacy communication commentator regard essentially modern democratic view consider deterministic telephone early significance telephone system_develop gradually initially elite technology telephone first use introduce traditional way developed britain largely