Networks of Change: Gender and the Making of Internet and Web History

by Leopoldina Fortunati (Editor), Autumn Edwards (Editor), Janet Abbate (Editor)

This book challenges dominant narratives of internet history by uncovering the overlooked contributions of women and LGBTQ+ communities in shaping our digital world. This groundbreaking collection brings together critical essays and archival research that illuminate how these social groups have been instrumental in building, maintaining, and transforming online spaces. The volume is structured in two complementary the first examines women's pivotal roles in online communities, from Wikipedia contributors to pioneers in digital fandom and blogging cultures; the second explores LGBTQ+ digital histories, including archiving practices, representation in AI databases, and the complexities of documenting queer internet experiences. By centering these previously silenced voices, this collection not only reconstructs a more inclusive digital past but also provides essential frameworks for reimagining our technological future.

This volume will appeal to scholars and students across digital humanities, media studies, gender studies, queer theory, and internet history. It offers valuable insights for technology professionals seeking to understand the diverse foundations of digital culture, as well as activists and policymakers working toward more equitable digital spaces. By bridging historical analysis with contemporary digital issues, the book speaks to anyone concerned with how power, identity, and representation continue to shape our networked world.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Internet Histories.

230 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 28, 2026

About the author

Leopoldina Fortunati is an Italian feminist theorist and a Professor of Sociology of Communication and Sociology of Cultural Processes at the Faculty of Education of the University of Udine, Italy.