The position of UNESCO in global communication politics at the beginning of the digital age: An analysis of policy discourses on the Information Society.

The thesis analyses the position of UNESCO in the global communication politics since the emergence of digital information and communication technologies. Looking at the historical background of UNESCO's activities in the field of communication as well as at the particular diplomatic context of the last decades, the research assesses the Organisation's policy discourse concerning the possibilities and risks brought by the digital technology and the question of access to information in the 'digital age'. It further evaluates how this discourse was influenced by the theoretical and politicaldebate on the 'Information Society' considering the impact of epistemic communities for the policymaking process. The research will apply the method of argumentative policy analysis for the assessment of relevant UNESCO policy documents. This analysis is combined with expert interviews with UNESCO-internal and external actors of the last decades in order to identify individual positions and thinking as epistemic communities. Grounded on an appraisal of the different 'Information Society' theories and the policy discourse of similar institutions, the aim of the project is to assess UNESCO's position not only as an actor in communication politics, but also as an instigator of an alternative 'Information Society' concept stressing social, educational and cultural dimensions.