Internet in the Post-Soviet Area: Technological, Economic and Political Aspects

This  book offers a comparative perspective on the technological, economic,  and political aspects of Internet development in the post-Soviet  countries. In doing so, international experts analyze similarities and  differences in various countries throughout the chapters.

The  volume consists of two parts. The chapters of the first part examine  the post-Soviet area as a whole. The second part includes specific case  studies on the development of the Internet, either in individual  countries or in groups of countries. Countries analyzed are Estonia,  Ukraine, Russia as well as three Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan,  Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Topics covered in the volume include, but are  not limited to measurement, dynamics, and structure of each national  Internet audience; the history of the Internet in the post-Soviet  countries; development of infrastructure; Internet regulation and  institutional aspects; online markets such as telecommunications, online  advertising, e-commerce, and digital content; social and cultural  aspects; as well as the transformation of the national media systems. 

This  book is a must-read for students, researchers, and scholars of  political science and economics, as well as policymakers and  practitioners interested in a better understanding of Internet  development in the post-Soviet area.