The Network Society: From Knowledge to Policy Edited by Manuel Castells and Gustavo Cardoso The world stands at the crossroads of development of the network society. Yet current social systems stall the dynamics of creativity. Is government ready to accept democracy of communication? Are economic players aware of the need to redefine property rights? Jorge Sampalo, President of the Portuguese Republic, invited prominent researchers and politicians from the U.S, EU and South America to examine the opportunities and challenges of the network society – and to offer recommendations for policy. Manuel Castells Wallis Annenberg Chair, professor of Communication, Technology and Society, University of Southern California, Los Angeles and Research Professor, Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona. Gustavo Cardoso Professor of Information and Communication Sciences, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, ISCTE, Lisbon, Portugal.