ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews key theoretical works in the field of Internet studies and sheds light on their disciplinary roots as well as on their strengths and weaknesses, also highlighting controversial concepts, unresolved debates and barely answered theoretical questions. For instance, Internet studies draws from a range of theoretical approaches in technology studies, sociology, political economy, geography, cultural studies, political science, media and communication studies and many other disciplines. Technological determinism also gave rise to theoretical approaches such as the diffusion theory that manifested scholarly interpretation of diffusion of innovation as technologically deterministic and scholarly focus on the effects of innovation in social systems. Internet studies will continue to encounter the challenge of systematically and consistently replacing deterministic theories about society and technology with propositions that can contribute to the development of an Internet theory in which technology design, human agency and broader structures are all present and meaningful.
