Blue Sky Workshop: Innovations in Digital Inclusion Research, Policy and Practice

Session Submission Type: Meeting

Abstract

Despite ample hype about the ubiquity of ICTs, 53% of the world’s population has never gone online. Even within the most prosperous nations, digital divides remain significant, based on such factors as age and income, but also geography, excluding many in rural areas and distressed areas of cities. The consequences are increasingly significant to perpetuating social and economic inequalities as government services, healthcare, education and job opportunities move online. Resources have been invested in initiatives to close digital divides, but with limited results. This Workshop will explore theories and methods guiding the study of divides, and critically assess emerging policy and practice. Multiple stakeholders are invited to identify promising policy and technical initiatives, and how they can best be studied.

Sub Unit

• Sponsored Sessions

Chairs

• Wenhong Chen, U of Texas - Austin

• Shelia Cotten, Michigan State University

• William H. Dutton, Michigan State University

• Yuli Patrick Hsieh, RTI International

• Rich Ling, Nanyang Technological University/Telenor

• Bianca Christin Reisdorf, U of Leicester

• Amit Schejter, Ben-Gurion U of the Negev

• Joseph D. Straubhaar, U of Texas at Austin

• Sharon Strover, U of Texas - Austin