Henri Hudrisier, Paris 8 University, France.
ISBN : 9781786309679
Publication Date : August 2026
Hardcover 294 pp
170 USD
Co-publisher
Standards, although often perceived as restrictive, are indispensable: without them, chaos and inefficiency prevail. This book traces the long history of standardization, first focusing on the period from antiquity to the 19th century – a foundational era for major international standardization bodies, such as those in telegraphy and electricity, which developed methods that later became universal.
The two World Wars then led to the creation of national organizations, federated around the ISA, the predecessor of ISO. From the 1960s onward, Internet pioneers established standardization procedures negotiated within consortiums. However, the open digital space was quickly appropriated by its sponsors (GAFAM, etc.), which “capture” data and globalize disinformation. In response, the international standardization community has developed new digital standards – notably Privacy by Design – to restore secure and rational networks.
The Institutional Standards Factory highlights how rethinking standardization can help restore technological and digital harmony. The growing interaction between standardization and legislative development, analyzed here, is fully part of this dynamic.
1. The Forerunners of Standardization.
2. The 19th Century: The Establishment of Institutions.
3. The IEC, Inventor of Standards.
4. From the ISA to the ISO.
5. JTC 1: Convergence Catalyst.
6. Consortium Standards and Standardization.
Henri Hudrisier is an associate professor (HDR), a member of the ITEN-UNESCO-FMSH Chair and an associate researcher at the Paragraphe laboratory (Paris 8 University). He has 45 years of experience with AFNOR, CEN and ISO, and currently serves as an expert with ISO/IEC JTC1/SC36 (e-learning) and AFNOR/VTDI (smart cities).
