Santa Clara University

October 1, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

  SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara University’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society (CSTS) has announced the appointment of Manuel Castells as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.
  Castells, who has worked with CSTS since its inception, is one of the world’s leading theorists and researchers on the Information Society. His insights into the information age have been pivotal in helping the Center promote the use of technology to advance the interests of humanity, especially the poor. In his role as visiting professor, Castells will focus on research and programming at CSTS, with the aim of fostering a more equitable and sustainable world.
  “The Center is a unique institution because it brings together the commitment to academic excellence, the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley, and the emphasis on moral values and ethical responsibility that characterizes Santa Clara University,” said Castells. “I fully recognize my work and myself on these coordinates, so it is only natural that I decided to work more regularly with the Center in a number of projects. I hope that in a very modest way, this will benefit the university, the community, and the idea of technology at the service of humankind.”
  A professor of communications, and the Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society at the Annenberg School for Communications, USC, Castells is also a professor emeritus of sociology and planning at UC Berkeley.
  He is one of the world’s leading theorists on economic and social transformations relating to technology. His trilogy, “The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture,” has been translated in 22 languages. He is also the author of “The Internet Galaxy” and last year, he co-authored “Mobile Communication and Society: A Global Perspective.”
  According to Geoffrey Bowker, executive director of CSTS, students at SCU can gain much from having Castells so accessible: “For our students interested in how science and technology can contribute to the common good, opportunities to work with and listen to Professor Castells will enrich their campus experience and potentially have a deep impact on their lives,” he noted.