Technology, Society and Sustainability

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvii

   PDF

2. Technological Developments—Civilization—Policies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. Diffusion of Innovation in Social Networking

      • Karol I. Pelc

      Pages 3-13

   3. The Architecture of Sustainability-oriented Enterprise and Civilization

      • Andrew Targowski

      Pages 15-26

   4. Technologization of Man and Marketization of His Activities and Culture of the Future

      • Lech W. Zacher

      Pages 27-48

   5. The Digital Agenda of the European Union and the Digital Policies of the USA

      • Despina Anagnostopoulou

      Pages 49-80

3. Some Applications

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 81-81

      PDF

   2. Social Justice Through Aadhaar: An e-Policy Initiative

      • Anurag Kumar Srivastava, Sangeeta Sharma

      Pages 83-97

   3. Audiovisuality of the Third Degree: Reality or Fantasy?

      • Tadeusz Miczka

      Pages 99-105

   4. Digital Preservation of Cultural Heritage

      • Nonja Peters, Dora Marinova, Marijke van Faassen, Glen Stasiuk

      Pages 107-114

4. Impacts on Societies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 115-115

      PDF

   2. Peril and Promise of Internet Technology for Future Social Order

      • Alina Betlej

      Pages 117-128

   3. The Citizen in the Cyberspace: Should There be Any Limits to the Freedom of Speech in the Internet?

      • Joanna Miksa

      Pages 129-142

   4. Progress in Science and Technology Versus Threats to Civil Liberties—Selected Issues

      • Ewa Polak

      Pages 143-155

   5. Impact of ICT on the Law

      • Małgorzata Skórzewska-Amberg

      Pages 157-167

   6. Legal and Moral Dilemmas of Targeted Killing by Drones

      • Wojtek Lamentowicz

      Pages 169-192

5. Technology Evaluations and Policies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 193-193

      PDF

   2. Technology Assessment in Systems Analysis

      • Piotr Sienkiewicz, Halina Świeboda

      Pages 195-201

   3. Technology Assessment and Policy Advice in the Field of Sustainable Development

      • Armin Grunwald

      Pages 203-221

   4. Cooperation with Middle and Eastern European Countries in the Field of Technology Assessment: Results and Experiences: A Short Overview

      • Gerhard Banse

      Pages 223-235

This collection is a multidisciplinary and multicultural contribution to the current sustainability discourse. It is focused on two main dimensions of our world: complexity and diversity. Desirable and urgent transition of socio-technological systems toward a sustainability trajectory of development requires a better understanding of technological trends and social transformations. General advancement of technology does not produce identical changes in various societies, differentiated economically and culturally. Moreover, the abilities to approach sustainable development change over time and space. As a result there is a constant need for continuing research, analyses, and discussions concerning changing contexts and adequacy of strategies and policies. Authors from twelve countries and of different academic and cultural settings present their insights, analyses and recommendations. The collection is focused both on contexts and on activities leading to sustainable trajectories in various domains of economy and social life.


Continuing research and discussion is needed to better understand these challenges and to prepare the appropriate strategies and solutions. Development of socio-technological systems is nowadays very complex; moreover, the world we live in is extremely diverse. Therefore, sustainability discourse must be ongoing, introducing new ideas, concepts, theories, evidence and experience by various parties—academics, professionals, and practitioners.

• Technological Development
• Social Impacts of Technology
• Technology Assessment
• Approaches to Sustainability
• Sustainability in Practice
• Sustainability and Business

• Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland

  Lech W. Zacher

Prof. Lech W. ZACHER is an economist, sociologist and futurist. He is Director of the Center of Impact Assessment Studies and Forecasting at the Kozminski University in Warsaw, where he also is a member of the Chair of Social Science. He is a member of the Futures Research Committee “Poland 2000 Plus” at the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Polish Association for Technology Assessment, and the Founder and President of the Educational Foundation TRANSFORMATIONS and Editor-in-Chief of its interdisciplinary journal “Transformations” (published also in English). He is a member of several scientific societies (e.g. International Sociological Association, European Assoc. for the Study of Science and Technology).

L. W. Zacher is the author, co-author and editor of more than thirty books and of three hundred articles (more than a hundred in English) concerning science-technology-society problematics, information/knowledge society, globalization and the future.

Policies and ethics