Information to users

Why Use Interdependence?
Some of the concepts used to explain the information
age include world systems and dependency theories, regimes, integration, and globalization. What do we gain from
focusing on interdependence as opposed to these? These
alternative ideas are present in discussions of
interdependence and information and all provide some
understanding of how the term 'interdependence" is used. First, there is a theoretical movement which describes
the world in a neo-Marxist sense. World systems theory views the world in principally economic terms, which emphasize relationships between core groups of states and those in the periphery. These relationships are uneven and must be so in order for the relationships to function. Dependency theories explain that these relationships unfairly favor the core group of countries since this group is wealthy and takes advantage of the peripheral group in order to maintain core status. In a second line of thinking (one that has been applied specifically to information and communication flows) Johan Galtung has taken this a step further by saying not only are these primarily economic relationships, but are
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structural as well. That is, the inequities are a part of the system. Imperialistic societies are ones in which the collective parts relate to some parts in terms of *harmony of Interest, and [to] other parts in relations of disharmony
of Interest, or conflict of interest."9 Galtung believed that these inequalities were very much a part of
information-oriented relationships in the world.10
A regime is defined as norms, standards and decision
making rules which emerge in a given issue area. There is no such a thing as an information regime. 'Information" is too broad a concept to discuss the overriding norms and
standards by which people interact in all information
issues. There may, however, be regimes in subcategories of information, such as telecommunications trade or satellite usage. For example, there may be a regime in discussions surrounding the allocation of satellite space, but these rules do not apply in negotiations on Internet access or biased media coverage. Events and situations which take
9 Johan Galtung. 'A Structural Theory of Imperialism" Journal
of Peace Research 8 (1971): 81. See also Robert D. Haynes, Jr. 'Test of Galtung's Theory of Structural Imperialism," in Robert L. Stevenson and Donald Lewis Shaw, eds., Foreign News and the New World Information Order (Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press 1984), pp. 200-216.
10 Johan Galtung and Richard C. Vincent. Global Glastnost: