Computerära

Computerära is a term used to describe a socio-technical period defined by the widespread presence of computer technology and digital networks, and the changes these technologies bring to work, governance, culture, and everyday life. It frames computing as a central force shaping institutions, practices, and identities across societies.

The term is most commonly encountered in Swedish-language scholarship and public discourse, though it appears in some English-language discussions of the information age. It is a compound of "computer" and a word suggesting an era, signaling an epoch in which computation underpins much economic and social activity.

Scope and themes include automation and labor market transition, data governance and privacy, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cloud and edge computing, software ecosystems, and the cultural effects of ubiquitous computing. Researchers in science and technology studies, information systems, and urban informatics use the concept to analyze how technology reshapes institutions and daily life.

Historically, the concept aligns with the Information Age but emphasizes the primacy of computers and software in organizing production, communication, and social interaction. It traces developments from mainframes and personal computers to the Internet, mobile devices, cloud services, and intelligent systems while focusing on social and ethical implications rather than hardware alone.

Critics argue that Computerära can be vague or overlapping with broader labels such as the information age. Some warn against techno-optimism and reductionism, noting that social, economic, and political factors shape technology as much as technology shapes society. The term remains a heuristic for analysis rather than a fixed category.

See also: Information age; Digital revolution; Human-computer interaction; Science and technology studies; Automation.