The role of new technologies
At this point we want to look at the issue of new technologies. There are many who will argue that new technology has no place in achieving the sea change in support we seek. Such technology might have a place in London or Los Angeles, some will say, but not in Rwanda or Upper Egypt.
We are becoming familiar with the concept of the digital divide. It's a divide, however, that has many differing formulations:
- the technological divide, access to equipment and connectivity, we're very familiar with
But the issues are more complex
- economic and political factors are also at work: in the whole of Africa there are fewer telephones than Tokyo or New York. Rural areas are always more badly served than urban areas
There's also an ownership perspective
- the vast majority of internet providers are based in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles (with London a long way back in 4th place).
The danger, however, when we make this sort of analysis is that notion of a digital divide takes on a reality that sanctions, as much as describes, inequality. It conceptualises, rationalises and then determines division rather than illuminating ways in which such divisions can be breached.
