Native On The Net

This book is about how the Internet has helped various indigenous and diasporic peoples to connect with each other and to do things that they could not do before. The book features case studies of various indigenous and diasporic peoples, including the Taino Indians of the Caribbean, the U'wa of the Amazon rainforest, the Tunomans and Assyrians of Iraq, the Tingas and Zapatistas.

Exploring the influence of the Internet on the lives of indigenous and diasporic peoples, Kyra Landzelius leads a team of expert anthropologists and ethnographers who go on-site and on-line to explore how a diverse range of indigenous and transnational diasporic communities actually use the Internet. From the Taino Indians of the Caribbean, the U'wa of the Amazon rainforest, and the Tunomans and Assyrians of Iraq, to the Tingas and Zapatistas, Native on the Net is a lively and intriguing exploration of how new technologies have enabled these previously isolated peoples to reach new levels of communication and community: creating new communities online, confronting global corporations, or even challenging their own native traditions. Featuring case studies ranging from the Artic to the Australian outback, this book addresses important recurrent themes, such as the relationship between identity and place, community, traditional cultures and the nature of the 'indigenous'. Native on the Net is a unique contribution to our knowledge of the impact of new global communication technologies on those who have traditionally been geographically, politically and economically marginalised.