Michael Hechter
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199247516
- eISBN:
- 9780191599460
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019924751X.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Nationalism is principally a modern phenomenon because, for the great bulk of human history, there was no disjuncture between the boundaries of the nation and those of the governance unit. Owing to ...
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Nationalism is principally a modern phenomenon because, for the great bulk of human history, there was no disjuncture between the boundaries of the nation and those of the governance unit. Owing to high communication costs, most premodern states were compelled to rely on indirect rule to govern spatially distant territories. Over time, this kind of rule led to an outcome in which culturally distinct territories were governed by traditional authorities. Since, over time, these local authorities usually came to share the same culture as that of their subjects, cultural differences did not tend to be a basis of political conflict.Less
Nationalism is principally a modern phenomenon because, for the great bulk of human history, there was no disjuncture between the boundaries of the nation and those of the governance unit. Owing to high communication costs, most premodern states were compelled to rely on indirect rule to govern spatially distant territories. Over time, this kind of rule led to an outcome in which culturally distinct territories were governed by traditional authorities. Since, over time, these local authorities usually came to share the same culture as that of their subjects, cultural differences did not tend to be a basis of political conflict.
Christian Licoppe and Zbigniew Smoreda
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195312805
- eISBN:
- 9780199847730
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195312805.003.0020
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
This chapter goes further in breaking the concept of social ties into more revealing formulations. It shows that people use technologies in different ways to support different types of relationships. ...
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This chapter goes further in breaking the concept of social ties into more revealing formulations. It shows that people use technologies in different ways to support different types of relationships. Each has its different mode. For instance, a ‘connected presence’ is maintained not through the communication of information in detail and depth but through little gestures that are easier with some technologies than with others. Technology is used to enable people to find an effective ‘rhythm’ to their social lives. People try to maintain their strong ties, but they also use different techniques depending on the behavioural costs of communication. If communication is cheap, they can maintain their ties with large quantities of relatively meaningless chitchat. When it is expensive, each communication episode is made to count more.Less
This chapter goes further in breaking the concept of social ties into more revealing formulations. It shows that people use technologies in different ways to support different types of relationships. Each has its different mode. For instance, a ‘connected presence’ is maintained not through the communication of information in detail and depth but through little gestures that are easier with some technologies than with others. Technology is used to enable people to find an effective ‘rhythm’ to their social lives. People try to maintain their strong ties, but they also use different techniques depending on the behavioural costs of communication. If communication is cheap, they can maintain their ties with large quantities of relatively meaningless chitchat. When it is expensive, each communication episode is made to count more.
Edward L. Glaeser (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226297897
- eISBN:
- 9780226297927
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226297927.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Microeconomics
When firms and people are located near each other in cities and in industrial clusters, they benefit in various ways, including by reducing the costs of exchanging goods and ideas. One might assume ...
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When firms and people are located near each other in cities and in industrial clusters, they benefit in various ways, including by reducing the costs of exchanging goods and ideas. One might assume that these benefits would become less important as transportation and communication costs fall. Paradoxically, however, cities have become increasingly important, and even within cities, industrial clusters remain vital. This book brings together chapters that examine the reasons why economic activity continues to cluster together despite the falling costs of moving goods and transmitting information. The studies cover a wide range of topics and approach the economics of agglomeration from different angles. Together they advance the understanding of agglomeration and its implications for a globalized world.Less
When firms and people are located near each other in cities and in industrial clusters, they benefit in various ways, including by reducing the costs of exchanging goods and ideas. One might assume that these benefits would become less important as transportation and communication costs fall. Paradoxically, however, cities have become increasingly important, and even within cities, industrial clusters remain vital. This book brings together chapters that examine the reasons why economic activity continues to cluster together despite the falling costs of moving goods and transmitting information. The studies cover a wide range of topics and approach the economics of agglomeration from different angles. Together they advance the understanding of agglomeration and its implications for a globalized world.
Laszlo Solymar
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- June 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780198863007
- eISBN:
- 9780191895760
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
The role of communications in human affairs is discussed. An early way of communications is writing on the wall as mentioned in the biblical Book of Daniel, presented in Rembrandt’s interpretation. ...
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The role of communications in human affairs is discussed. An early way of communications is writing on the wall as mentioned in the biblical Book of Daniel, presented in Rembrandt’s interpretation. It is emphasized how expensive communications to places far away was even a century ago and how cheap it is now. Cost of a telephone call to America then and now are compared. It is claimed that the book is suitable for the interested layman; at the same time, there is a lot of information for those who are interested in the history of communications technology.Less
The role of communications in human affairs is discussed. An early way of communications is writing on the wall as mentioned in the biblical Book of Daniel, presented in Rembrandt’s interpretation. It is emphasized how expensive communications to places far away was even a century ago and how cheap it is now. Cost of a telephone call to America then and now are compared. It is claimed that the book is suitable for the interested layman; at the same time, there is a lot of information for those who are interested in the history of communications technology.
