Information Technology: Social and Spatial Perspectives

Abstract

In this prefatory overview on the theme of Information Technology: Social and Spatial Perspectives’, we will attempt to set the papers in context and provide some guidance as to the way in which similar topics have been addressed from differing perspectives. No attempt has been made to orient the authors’ work into specific themes; one of the contributions made by this volume will, we hope, be the diversity of approaches. Some of these perspectives reflect entirely new ways of exploring spatial interaction. Others combine more familiar models with new insights while there are contributions which call for modifications of existing frameworks. One fundamental insight does emerge from this work — the notion of space, spatial interaction, the costs of overcoming distance and the notions of what is moved over space will have to be reconsidered. However, as a number of authors note, the effects of information technology on spatial development are not clear; hence, these contributions may be seen as providing a set of challenges for future research.