The Control Revolution Online is a website dedicated to late author James R. Beniger’s book entitled The Control Revolution: Technological and Economic Origins of the Information Society. Harvard Press published this title in 1986 and since then it has been somewhat of a cornerstone of communication theory. While it is an important book it has not always enjoyed as much attention in communication studies as other works.
This page attempts to illustrate the progression from, and interplay between the industrial revolution and the control revolution based on Beniger’s argument that the information society is a direct result of a loss of control due to the numerous technological advancements in the 19th century. An interactive environment is offered to the user where the timeline, based off Beniger’s events illustrated in the book, can be explored and put into context visually.
This project was developed in the New Media and Digital Culture Masters Program at the University of Amsterdam in 2012.
Team:
Seah Kim
Alain Otjens
Daan Smith
Richard Zimerman