The Digital Divide: The Internet and Social Inequality in International Perspective
London: Routledge (2013), 324 pp.
Series: Routledge Advances in Sociology
ISBN 9781138960268 (pbk); 9780203069769 (online)
"This book provides an in-depth comparative analysis of inequality and the stratification of the digital sphere. Grounded in classical sociological theories of inequality, as well as empirical evidence, this book defines “the digital divide” as the unequal access and utility of internet communications technologies and explores how it has the potential to replicate existing social inequalities, as well as create new forms of stratification. The Digital Divide examines how various demographic and socio-economic factors including income, education, age and gender, as well as infrastructure, products and services affect how the internet is used and accessed. Comprised of six parts, the first section examines theories of the digital divide, and then looks in turn at: highly developed nations and regions (including the USA, the EU and Japan); emerging large powers (Brazil, Russia, India, China); Eastern European countries (Estonia, Romania, Serbia); Arab and Middle Eastern nations (Egypt, Iran, Israel); under-studied areas (East and Central Asia, Latin America, and sub-Saharan Africa)." (Publisher description)
Introduction / Massimo Ragnedda and Glenn W. Muschert, 1
I. THEORIES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
1 The Reproduction and Reconfiguration of Inequality: Differentiation and Class, Status, and Power in the Dynamics of Digital Divides / Bridgette Wessels, 17
2 A Theory of the Digital Divide / Jan A.G.M. van Dijk, 29
II. HIGHLY DEVELOPED NATIONS AND REGIONS
3 The Digital Divide in Europe / Nicole Zillien and Mirko Marr, 55
4 The Internet and Social Inequalities in the U.S. / James Witte, Marissa Kiss, and Randy Lynn, 67
5 Missing In the Midst of Abundance: The Case of Broadband Adoption in Japan / Mito Akiyoshi, Motohiro Tsuchiya, and Takako Sano, 85
III. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING LARGE NATIONS - THE BRIC NATIONS
6 The Digital Divide in Brazil: Conceptual, Research and Policy Challenges / Bernardo Sorj, 107
7 Digitizing Russia: Uneven Pace of Progress toward Internet Access Equality / Inna F. Deviatko, 118
8 Digital Divide in India: Inferences from the Information and Communication Technology Workforce / P. Vigneswara Ilavarasan, 134
9 China Digital Divide in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan: The Barriers of First Order and Second Order Digital Divide / Shu-Fen Tseng and Yu-Ching You, 147
IV. EASTERN EUROPE
The Internet and Digital Divide in SEE: Connectivity Does Not End the Digital Divide, Skills Do / Danica Radovanovic, 167
11 Closing the Gap, Are We There Yet? Reflections on the Persistence of Second-Level Digital Divide Among Adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe / Monica Barbovschi and Bianca Fizesan, 179
12 Behind the Slogan of "e-State:" Digital Stratification in Estonia / Veronika Kalmus, Kairi Talves and Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, 193
V. THE MIDDLE EAST REGION
13 Digitally Divided We Stand: The Contribution of Digital Media to the Arab Spring / David M. Faris, 209
14 Explaining Digital Inequalities in Israel: Juxtaposing the Conflict and Cultural Perspectives / Gustavo Mesch, Ilan Talmud and Tanya Kolovov, 222
15 An Analysis of the Second-Level Digital Divide in Iran: A Case Study of University of Tehran's Undergraduate Students / Hamid Abdollahyan, Mehdi Semati and Mohammad Ahmadi, 237
VI. UNDER-STUDIED COUNTRIES AND REGIONS
16 The Digital Divide in the Latin American Context / Daniela Trucco Horwitz, 253
17 The Central Asian Digital Divide / Barney Warf, 270
18 The Double Digital Divide and Social Inequality in Asia: Comparative Research on Internet Cafes in Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines / Tomohisa Hirata, 285
19 Dimensions of the Mobile Divide in Niger / Gado Alzouma, 297
Afterword: Internet Freedom, Nuanced Digital Divides, and the Internet Craftsman / Sascha D. Meinrath, James Losey and Benjamin Lennett, 309
I. THEORIES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
1 The Reproduction and Reconfiguration of Inequality: Differentiation and Class, Status, and Power in the Dynamics of Digital Divides / Bridgette Wessels, 17
2 A Theory of the Digital Divide / Jan A.G.M. van Dijk, 29
II. HIGHLY DEVELOPED NATIONS AND REGIONS
3 The Digital Divide in Europe / Nicole Zillien and Mirko Marr, 55
4 The Internet and Social Inequalities in the U.S. / James Witte, Marissa Kiss, and Randy Lynn, 67
5 Missing In the Midst of Abundance: The Case of Broadband Adoption in Japan / Mito Akiyoshi, Motohiro Tsuchiya, and Takako Sano, 85
III. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING LARGE NATIONS - THE BRIC NATIONS
6 The Digital Divide in Brazil: Conceptual, Research and Policy Challenges / Bernardo Sorj, 107
7 Digitizing Russia: Uneven Pace of Progress toward Internet Access Equality / Inna F. Deviatko, 118
8 Digital Divide in India: Inferences from the Information and Communication Technology Workforce / P. Vigneswara Ilavarasan, 134
9 China Digital Divide in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan: The Barriers of First Order and Second Order Digital Divide / Shu-Fen Tseng and Yu-Ching You, 147
IV. EASTERN EUROPE
The Internet and Digital Divide in SEE: Connectivity Does Not End the Digital Divide, Skills Do / Danica Radovanovic, 167
11 Closing the Gap, Are We There Yet? Reflections on the Persistence of Second-Level Digital Divide Among Adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe / Monica Barbovschi and Bianca Fizesan, 179
12 Behind the Slogan of "e-State:" Digital Stratification in Estonia / Veronika Kalmus, Kairi Talves and Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, 193
V. THE MIDDLE EAST REGION
13 Digitally Divided We Stand: The Contribution of Digital Media to the Arab Spring / David M. Faris, 209
14 Explaining Digital Inequalities in Israel: Juxtaposing the Conflict and Cultural Perspectives / Gustavo Mesch, Ilan Talmud and Tanya Kolovov, 222
15 An Analysis of the Second-Level Digital Divide in Iran: A Case Study of University of Tehran's Undergraduate Students / Hamid Abdollahyan, Mehdi Semati and Mohammad Ahmadi, 237
VI. UNDER-STUDIED COUNTRIES AND REGIONS
16 The Digital Divide in the Latin American Context / Daniela Trucco Horwitz, 253
17 The Central Asian Digital Divide / Barney Warf, 270
18 The Double Digital Divide and Social Inequality in Asia: Comparative Research on Internet Cafes in Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines / Tomohisa Hirata, 285
19 Dimensions of the Mobile Divide in Niger / Gado Alzouma, 297
Afterword: Internet Freedom, Nuanced Digital Divides, and the Internet Craftsman / Sascha D. Meinrath, James Losey and Benjamin Lennett, 309
