Hannah Rippin graduated in July 2004 with an MPhil in Modern Society and Global Transformation from Darwin College, Cambridge. Her initial interest in sociological theory began whilst completing her first degree in Law and Finance at the University of Glasgow, where the social implications of bureaucracy were raised. Her research at Cambridge included the analysis of mobile phone technology, MSN and other textual means of human interaction and she presented her work at this year's Oxbridge Summer School. Comments are welcomed at H.J.Rippin.03@cantab.net