Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide

Communication, Society and Politics

by Pippa Norris

There is widespread concern that the explosive growth of the Internet is exacerbating existing inequalities between the information rich and poor. Digital Divide sets out to examine the evidence for access and use of the Internet in 179 nations across the world. A global divide is evident between industrialized and developing societies. A social divide is apparent between rich and poor within each nation. And within the online community, evidence for a democratic divide is emerging between those who do and do not use Internet resources to engage, mobilize and participate in public life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Politics, Internet

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2001

About the author

Pippa Norris is Associate Director (Research), and Lecturer, John F. Kennedy School of Government, at Harvard University in the USA.

Reviews

[Natali · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there are some useful theories about the digital divide in this book, it was not what I had hoped it would be. Even if it were, the research is far too dated for me to recommend this book. It doesn't even mention Google as a popular search engine. It refers to Yahoo and AltaVista so that should give you an idea of how old the research is.

Nearly half of the book is a cross-sectional ethnography of who was online in the late 90s, a demographic which has radically shifted. The other half discusses online political engagement, which is also far different now. The ethnography is well done and interesting but only in the way that an almanac is interesting.

I had hoped that this book would lay out theories of education and social stratification as they relate to the digital divide. The title promises a discussion about "information poverty" after all. It didn't really deliver on that front but at least the introductory chapters discussing the consequences of the digital divide were useful.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best introductions to the digital divide. It is a cliched statement, but this book explores governance, civil society and civic engagement with depth and clarity. It explores the wired world, rather than the wifi world, but as a solid text to explore the definitional foundations of the digital divide, this is a fine place to start.

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i happen to understand digital divide through Norris' great books. And this one's supposed to be her best yet.