What People Leave Behind: Marks, Traces, Footprints and their Relevance to Knowledge Society

This open-access book explores the concepts of "footprint" and "trace" in relation to surveillance capitalism and knowledge society, discussing their unintended by-products in virtual and real spaces. It raises questions about the stakes, risks, and potential of this approach, bringing together a diverse group of international social scientists from various fields. The volume discusses heuristic aspects, ethical dimensions, scientific analyses, political considerations, empirical perspectives, and theoretical foundations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 359 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This open-access book delves into a crucial yet multifaceted topic within the social sciences: the concepts of "footprint" and "trace." It establishes connections between these concepts and highly contentious issues such as surveillance capitalism and the knowledge society. The editors and authors explore footprints and traces as unintended outcomes of actions that may have different objectives and orientations, yet they leave empirical imprints in both virtual and physical spaces. Consequently, the volume presents novel possibilities for social theory and applied social research by raising and addressing critical questions about the stakes, risks, and potential of this approach. It systematically addresses these concerns within a unified framework, drawing together a diverse group of international social scientists.

Given the intricate nature of exploring footprints and traces, the volume explores various aspects and dimensions. It examines heuristic considerations, ethical implications, scientific analyses, political considerations, empirical perspectives, and theoretical foundations. Simultaneously, it brings together insights from cultural analysis, social theory, communication and Internet studies, big-data-informed research, and computational social science.

This innovative volume appeals to a wide interdisciplinary audience, including sociologists, communication researchers, Internet scholars, anthropologists, cognitive and behavioral scientists, historians, and epistemologists. Its comprehensive coverage and interdisciplinary approach make it a valuable resource for scholars and researchers seeking to understand the complexities of footprints and traces in today's society.

Weight: 729g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031117558
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022