If you, like me, think that reading science fiction counts as research (!), then you might enjoy this article by Henry Jenkins in the MIT Technology Review: Science Fiction and Smart Mobs: Dystopian visions of the future explore the power of virtual communities. Jenkins singles out Warren Ellis's Global Frequency, which he calls a "comic book series." I haven't seen it, but I'll look for it in the graphic novel section next time I'm at Barnes.
Posted by dcplumer at February 2, 2003 01:52 PMI read about Global Frequency too, but have to say it's not very original or insightful from seeing issue #3. In terms of SF that illustrates some of these ideas, our class reading- Bruce Sterling's book "Good, Old Fashioned Future", the first story in the book: "Maneki Neko" is far more interesting.
Posted by: donturn on February 2, 2003 08:17 PM