List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Introduction: Reconfiguring Informational and Communicative Power Part I. The Foundations of the Fifth Estate 1. The Idea and Evidence of a Fifth Estate 2. Fifth Estate Theories of Distributed and Network Power Part II. Fifth Estate Strategies 3. Searching 4. Originating 5. Networking 6. Collaborating 7. Leaking Part III. Shaping the Future of the Fifth Estate 8. A Network Power Shift for Democracy and Society 9. Threats to the Fifth Estate 10. The Future of the Fifth Estate Notes Bibliography Index

"This is the most important book by Dutton, a leading scholar on the social dimensions of network technologies. It shows the reconfiguration of power in a multimodal digital communication environment. Essential reading for students, researchers, business leaders, and policymakers." -- Manuel Castells, Wallis Annenberg Chair of Communication Technology and Society, University of Southern California "Scholars have spent two decades trying to understand the internet's potential to transform societies. This compelling work, replete with rich examples, moves beyond narrow analysis of individuals, institutions, and innovations to argue for the emergence of a Fifth Estate through which networked individuals capitalize on digital tools to hold those in power to account. Only by understanding this potential can we make best use of it, meaning, ideally, everyone should read this book." -- Victoria Nash, Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford "The concept of the Fifth Estate is simple but profound in its implications. In tracing the empowerment of interconnected individuals, Dutton restores lost optimism about the democratic potential of digital media. He provides a balanced analysis of societal trends, individual actions, and alarmist counter-restrictions by established institutions. Dutton's broad perspectives, gems of examples, and clear prose add up to a significant book whose central concept will leave its mark." -- Eli Noam, Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information, Columbia University "Recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals." -- Choice "In developing the concept of the Fifth Estate, Dutton pushes us to consider the wider socio-political impact of the internet. Rather than just being a new technology, it has created a space in which different actors are able to organise and challenge established practices in the public interest...Having marshalled a wide range diverse cases, drawing on a career following the development and potential of these tools, Dutton makes a compelling case for the need to recognise and value their contribution in creating new opportunities." -- Thomas O'Brien, Information, Communication and Society "This book is divided into three sections, examining the foundations, strategies, and future of the Fifth Estate. Presenting the argument in this way, Dutton ably captures the extent and potential of the Fifth Estate while also adopting a cautionary note about its potential futures. A key strength of the book is the breadth and depth of Dutton's own engagement with the internet and associated developments, as this enables a richly informed reflection on the roots and trajectory of this space." -- Thomas O'Brien, Department of Sociology, University of York, York, UK

William H. Dutton is Emeritus Professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. In 2002, Dutton became the founding Director of the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and first Professor of Internet Studies at the University of Oxford, during which time he was a Professorial Fellow of Balliol College. He left Oxford in 2014 for a Professorial Chair of Media and Information Policy at Michigan State University, where he was Director of the Quello Center. Dutton returned to Oxford in 2018, where he is affiliated with the University of Oxford as an OII Fellow and Oxford Martin Fellow and supports the Computer Science Department's Global Cybersecurity Capacity Center (GCSCC). He is also a Visiting Professor in the School of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds.

Selling point: Provides one of the first comprehensive academic examinations of the Fifth Estate, illuminating the most important power shift of the digital age Selling point: Includes case studies in a wide range of contexts Selling point: Incorporates research and concepts that can guide policymakers and regulators in building internet policy and practice Selling point: Makes the case that greater awareness of the Fifth Estate is needed to ensure its continued vitality in a period of growing distrust of online sources and institutions