Dear GKD Members, I'm in basic agreement with Yacine Khelladi. For the last several years I have referred to the Education Divides, the Opportunity Divides and Economic Divides (all similar to what you call the Social Divide) that pre-date and help to shape the Digital Divide (and I know others who share a similar view). And I think she is right that how we conceptualize these various divides influences the plans we make and the actions we take in fundamental ways.
I think a key challenge that I have perceived is how to conceptualize the prior divides and the vision for "sustainable human development" in light of the opportunities, threats and as-yet-undetermined possibilities of digital technologies vis a vis any of a number of other development strategies and imperatives. I, for instance, think we under-theorize the actual and potential damage and/or benefit for "sustainable human development" that can be realized by THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE GREAT ACCESS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES. How are those with privileged access wielding that privilege? This to me is a key, virtually unasked question. By focusing only on getting access for those who don't have it (and I'll just mark as an aside that I mean "access" to refer to as rich, meaningful, multifaceted and social uses and designs of technologies as we can conceive), we, imho, let certain folks who already have tremendous access "off the hook" (i.e., we don't hold them responsible for turning their access to the most beneficial ends for achieving "sustainable human development"). I don't mean to downplay the potential importance of access for those who don't have it, only to point out that getting access has only limited positive effects if those with greater access are using that access in ways detrimental to "sustainable human development." That to me is a major flaw of the "digital divide" currently conceived. Thanks for your point Yacine. In Peace, K. ------------ ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, an NGO that is a GKP member*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
