ABSTRACT
The principle of net neutrality posits that packets circulating within the Internet should be treated equally, regardless of content, platform, source, recipient, or service. This chapter explores the implications of the net neutrality debate for communication research and the public sphere. First, the divergent disciplinary contexts of net neutrality-related research are introduced. Then, we adopt a public sphere framework to discuss areas of net neutrality that are relevant for communication studies, and the contributions of communication scholarship to their analysis are highlighted. Peter Dahlgren’s three-dimensional framework-structure, representation, and interaction-serves as an entry point into the field.
