ABSTRACT
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (1997) defines infrastructure as “(1) an underlying foundation or basic framework; and (2) a system of public works of a country, state, or region.” While both definitions are relevant, in this book, the term “infrastructure” will refer to the system of public works, with its technical installations and institutional arrangements, that provides the basic facilities required for any society. Included in this definition are water supplies, sewerage systems, transportation and energy grids, and telecommunication and information networks. Modern society has largely viewed infrastructure networks as the domain of engineers and technologists. However, as of late, many social scholars, such as historians, geographers, sociologists, and anthropologists have shown interest in understanding the social, cultural, and political dynamics of change in infrastructures, both historically and contemporaneously.
