Feminist Challenges in the Information Age Information as a Social Resource

In the last three decades, women's intervention in the social and natural sci ences, in medicine and technology has introduced new paradigms. We have to admit that it takes time and energy to influence these fields in a feministic way. Women do not only work for the growth of knowledge, but also for the trans formation of knowledge systems. This book is about using knowledge for action in an interdisciplinary effort focussing on information as a social resource. Women's approach to the information age is different, as becomes visible in this book: Women's scholarly explorations include not only developing technol ogy, but also improving communication and networking, as well as supporting democratic processes by taking advantage of the tremendous technological op tions. I am convinced that this approach is vital for living the information soci ety, and that it will also make fields relating to information technology more at tractive to women. This book is the outcome of the Project Area INFORMATION of the Interna tional Women's University (ifo) held at the University of Hamburg in the sum mer 2000. As the Deputy Minister for Science and Research of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg I was responsible for promoting this study program. The international gathering of 150 participants was a most exciting event. The experience of ifo has enriched me as a scientist, as a feminist and as a politician.