Research

Spotlight on research: Philip N. Howard

In his book, "The Digital Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy," Dr. Phil Howard and his team, the Project on Information Technology and Political Islam, analyzed ways new information technologies contribute to democratic entrenchment or transition in countries with large Muslim populations.

Globally, one in 10 Internet users is a Muslim living in a populous Muslim community. Often young and digitally savvy, these users spread information independently of governments and beyond manipulation by cultural and religious elites. Day-to-day civic discourse, not cyberterrorism, is the most important political aspect of the Internet in Muslim countries, the researchers found. They also found that the Internet is helping societies get better at running elections, providing civic services and exposing corruption.

"Countries with high rates of technology diffusion are most likely to develop strong democratic institutions," Howard explained. "The recipe for democratization 50 years ago had other ingredients such as radio, television and newspapers. Today, the recipe must include the Internet."

Video by Sam Han, a senior in the Department of Communication

Posted: August 25, 2010