The Nature of Information: an analysis of the historically situated socio-cultural assumptions concerning the nature of information under changing technological conditions of its production, reproduction, dissemination and use

This narrative commentary in combination with the research outputs listed in Appendix A has been submitted for the award of Ph.D. by Prior Output at London Metropolitan University. The commentary summarises the coherence, context, and original contribution of the submitted research. The research presented in this submission reflects work over a period of about ten years. It addresses the nature of information under conditions of its digital production, reproduction, dissemination and consumption. The central thesis of the research is that digital technologies have destabilised traditional assumptions concerning the nature of information. While not fundamentally altering the nature of information itself, technological change has transformed the social, cultural and professional contexts in which information is embedded and used. This change has epistemological, ontological and socio-cultural aspects, each of which is addressed within the research. The research is broadly situated within a post-structuralist perspective, but is eclectic in its use of theoretical paradigms for their capacity to reveal aspects of a problem, rather than to provide final or foundational claims. It emphasises subjective meanings and experiences over final or foundational theories.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

London Metropolitan University

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Tredinnick, Luke

• 020 Library & information sciences