ABSTRACT
In 2002 MIT Press published Milton Mueller’s Ruling the Root, one of the first detailed investigations into Internet domain name policies. In it Mueller describes the history of the Internet address and name space and the root zone file and root name servers, without which the Internet would not be able to function. Ever since the birth of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in 1998, the private company that oversees “name space,” issues are becoming less technical and more political. Governments seek more influence in a world that is traditionally run by a select group of engineers and corporate managers. Mueller is a professor at the School of Information Studies, Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York) and director of the Convergence Center. He has widely published about regulatory issues in the global telecommunications industry. He is also the editor of, and a regular contributor to, the ICANN watch website. Our interview took place via e-mail.
