Fizz in the field: Toward a basis for an emergent internet studies

This article examines the history and future prospects of the for-mation of Internet studies. It is argued that although a traditional field or disciplinary structure is not yet in place, the current inter-disciplinary aggregations may have the makings of institutionalized academic units. Through comparison with the institutionalization of other interdisiciplinary areas of study (primarily that of commu-nication and cultural studies), an argument is made for the need to create a firm intellectual foundation on which an Internet/studies can be built. Such a foundation should not only include sufficient and clear understanding of cognate fields but also include a fore-grounding of power (as theoretical construct and practice) as a means of engaging the field in the world