The Undersea Network

In our "wireless" world it is easy to take the importance of the undersea cable systems for granted, but the stakes of their successful operation are huge, as they are responsible for carrying almost all transoceanic Internet traffic. In The Undersea Network Nicole Starosielski follows these cables from the ocean depths to their landing zones on the sandy beaches of the South Pacific, bringing them to the surface of media scholarship and making visible the materiality of the wired network. In doing so, she charts the cable network's cultural, historical, geographic and environmental dimensions. Starosielski argues that the environments the cables occupy are historical and political realms, where the network and the connections it enables are made possible by the deliberate negotiation and manipulation of technology, culture, politics and geography. Accompanying the book is an interactive digital mapping project, where readers can trace cable routes, view photographs and archival materials, and read stories about the island cable hubs.

Author: Nicole Starosielski
Publisher: Duke University Press
Published: 03/31/2015
Pages: 312
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.20w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780822357407

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 02/15/2015 pg. 127
Choice 08/01/2015

About the Author
Nicole Starosielski is Assistant Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University.