National variations of the information society: Evidence from the Greek case

Identifying an empirical gap in the examination and analysis of the information society (IS) in semi-peripheral and middle income countries, the paper seeks to address the evolving characteristics and forms of the “Greek case” of the IS, stressing the dialectic between European policy and the national socio-cultural, political and economic idiosyncrasies, the weaknesses encountered, and the role of the state in articulating the global and the national through rhetoric and policy. Drawing on historical sociology, I propose that the historically developed relationship between the state, and the national economy and society will interact with global IS processes, creating differentiated national IS outcomes. The emphasis of the study is on the period 1998-2006, which includes the first comprehensive IS strategy in Greece and provides the opportunity to assess preliminary results of the policies adopted.