A wider web, a wider world

The spread of the internet combined with the rise of participatory media platforms like weblogs and video sharing sites means that it's possible to receive first hand news and opinion from virtually any corner of the globe. Some early internet theorists - John Perry Barlow, Nicholas Negroponte - predicted that the pervasiveness of the internet would lead towards increasingly internationalized communications, interaction and governance. Evidence suggests that these predictions were too optimistic. Interest in international information is limited, and the vast majority of online communication is domestic. This may lead us to worry about the echo chambers Cass Sunstein predicts, or towards a state of "imaginary cosmopolitanism", where we erroneously believe we can access a global perspective on issues and events.

If the internet is not inexorably leading to a cosmopolitan perspective, it remains a powerful tool for building international perspective and understanding. A group of people positioned to build understanding between cultures - bridge figures - can help lead interested parties - xenophiles - into international dialog using online tools to enable translation, filtering and contextualization of content. This talk explores the evidence to support a theory of imaginary cosmopolitanism, the dangers of an insufficiently globalized internet, and possible solutions towards building increased international connections online.