Guiding principles and practical action: Information interdependence and the evolution of United States foreign information policy

The United States is the leader in global information and communications. This creates tension both within the US government and between the US government and other international groups as international information policy is made.; There are two levels at which discussions about US information policymaking take place: principles and practices. During the past century, both the principles and practices have remained relatively unchanged. The thesis of this dissertation is that in order to continue to rely on these principles, US policymakers need to adapt practices (policies) to reflect the changing nature of global interactions.; There are different ways of understanding and explaining information and its importance to both US domestic interests as well as interactions with other groups. But no one has been able to explain, describe and utilize the “information” as a whole. The United States is conscious about keeping abreast of developments in information and communications, but its goals do not encompass the larger context. Currently, the United States has found a way to balance the desire to be interdependent with the ability to exercise control over the expansion of its information-oriented products abroad. In so doing, it has been able to avoid some of the more uncomfortable accusations of cultural imperialism that have been directed at it over time.; There are three trends in foreign information policymaking. First, there has been a general decrease in the importance of military issues. As the world has become increasingly interdependent, there has been more emphasis on other forms of international interaction.; Second, there has been an increase in the importance of economic issues. Especially in the world of information and communication flows, there are more and more mergers in order to maximize profit and control all parts of the flows of information.; And finally, there has been an increase in the importance of cultural issues. The marginal, yet visible, attempts to assert cultural identity around the world, “culture” should be an important consideration in any policy deliberations.