The current Google/US-China conflict is bigger than is recognized. It could reveal that we have not settled core issues of global Internet governance. As a result, the Internet is a point of instability for international relations.
The Obama administration is making security a high priority. However, prioritizing security goes contrary to Internet privatization, multi-stakeholderism, civil society, and even international cooperation.
Declaring Independence in Cyberspace tells the story of the struggle between governments and the global Internet community over control of the Internet registries (IANA). It offers new insights into a pressing question with profound implications: is state sovereignty the immutable foundation of global governance, or can new technological capabilities change the model?
“This is a book that needed to be written, and no one is better placed to write it than Milton Mueller. This full, rigorous account provides researchers and policymakers with a precious resource on global internet governance.”
Jan Aart Scholte, Leiden University