Hubs of knowledge and information flows in islamic countries: challenges and potentials

This paper discusses the importance of global knowledge and information flows in shaping development and advancement in Islamic countries during the era of globalization. It focuses on the hubs or places that trigger these flows from the global domain to the local context. I classify these hubs into three main types: 1) Micro hubs of knowledge and information flows which include small places as homes and offices that have access to knowledge and information through new modes of communication such as the internet, satellite dishes, and mobile phones. 2) Intermediate scale hubs of knowledge and information flows such as schools, universities, and business headquarters which feature more concentrated agglomerations of knowledge and information flows. 3) Mega hubs of knowledge and information flows or places that host very intense and massive flows. These three types of hubs contribute significantly to the development of contemporary societies. The paper focuses on analyzing the nature of these hubs with reference to case studies from Islamic countries during the period 2000–2010. This era witnessed dramatic transformation in response to the revolution in communication technology.