Some early blurbs are in for Superconnected: The Internet, Digital Media, and Techno-Social Life — due to be published on or about March 6. Thanks so much to my fine colleagues for the time and care they took reading and reviewing my work. More to come soon!

Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. From kids to seniors, we are the greatest generations: communicating, networking, and creating information and media constantly and collaboratively. In this lively, wide-ranging book, Mary Chayko tells you how and why we are the most superconnected society ever. — Barry Wellman, Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto (retired), co-director, NetLab Network, and author (with Lee Rainie), Networked

Dr. Mary Chayko provides a splendid tour of how social media came to be, what they are used for today, and what they are doing for and to us. Clearly written, Superconnected makes a fine introduction to the subject for students and general readers alike. — James E. Katz, Feld Family Professor of Emerging Media, Boston University, and author (with Michael Barris and Anshul Jane), The Social Media President

Mary Chayko has crafted a most remarkable work in Superconnected. Rarely have I seen a writer at such ease in identifying and explaining both the essential techno-social building blocks of information and communication technologies and the rich, fascinating behaviors associated with them. Sharing and surveillance, emotion and presence, hacking and activism, crowdsourcing and accountability, friending and dating, multitasking and stress — these are just a few of Chayko’s inspired and informed topics. The work of a topnotch scholar and master teacher, Superconnected is inviting and compelling, friendly and challenging, unique and vital. It is the book I have been waiting for — perfect for any undergraduate class on information and communication technologies. — Christena Nippert-Eng, Professor of Informatics, Indiana University, and author, Islands of Privacy

Superconnected is a provocative, thoughtful and thorough examination of the contemporary digital state of affairs. It will educate, provoke and inspire readers to form new perspectives on the consequences of new media in everyday life. — Steve Jones, UIC Professor of Communication, University of Illinois – Chicago, and editor, New Media and Society

It takes a long time  to birth an academic book, especially one that’s research-packed. But after several years (and not too many tears), I’m proud to announce that Superconnected: The Internet, Digital Media, and Techno-Social Life will be published by Sage in early March 2016.

Superconnected is a truly interdisciplinary primer on living in a digital society. I bring together research from sociology, communication, psychology, information science, media studies, and other relevant fields, to take a look at digital life and connectedness from a number of points of view. The  books begins with the important insight that just because the title of the book is Superconnected, we shouldn’t assume that the whole world is digitally connected. There are places in the world, such as much of southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, in which internet access, computers, and even electricity
are seriously scarce. About a quarter of the world’s population does not have
regular access to electricity, and although cell phones have penetrated the
developing world to a much greater extent than computers, they are used in
much more limited ways than they are in more technologically developed
areas, and owners are often hindered by inconsistent internet access, unreliable
service, and the inability to regularly charge their phones.

Still, for much of the developed world, digital connectivity impacts nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives. From our individuals selves and identities, to our relationships and communities, to the social institutions that circumscribe our societies (family, work, government, education, religion, health care, the media), the internet and digital, social, and mobile technology have had a transformative impact. I’m looking forward to sharing these and many of the other dimensions and implications of superconnectedness in the book and on this blog, and I invite you to take a look at it on the Sage Publications website https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/superconnected-the-internet-digital-media-and-techno-social-life/book239425.

Enjoy!