Manuel Castells's highly acclaimed trilogy The Information Age represents the most comprehensive attempt to develop a coherent theory of the present day. From his seminal work on urban change and social movements to his more recent work on the transformations stemming from the deployment of new information and communication technologies in a globalized world, Castells has been at the forefront of contemporary debates for over three decades. At the heart of his theory lies the claim that we are witnessing a shift from vertically integrated hierarchies to flexible networks which structure dominant social processes, as well as the main challenges launched against them. His scope, rigor,