Andrew McDonald, and Phil Denning, Scotland
One of the key and common drivers in national policy terms to create the Information society is that nations need globally wired communities populated by activists and residents that have the skills to compete in the global economy. A counterpoint tothis is the interest shown in the so called 'digital divide' between the IT 'haves' and 'have nots/lates'.Interest in narrowing the digital divide and providing local communities with online access to the Information Society, Knowledge Economy and ICT Age is growing with academics, teachers, urban planners, politicians, community educationalists, entrepreneurs and others wrestling with this topical issue.
Since 1999, the term, 'the digital divide,' has largely been absorbed into popular culture and everyday professional parlance, yet little serious, critical and definitional reflection is afforded to the term. If we can successfully define and measure the digital divide then this can form the basis of new strategies and principles for overcoming the divide.This paper seeks to contribute to the debate by firstly seeking to briefly define and examine the concept of the digital divide within the context of wider socio-economic divides. The paper will then explore issues around how we can measure that divide and deliver digital opportunity.These issues explored in this paper are being undertaken with a focus on devising practical actions (e.g. training) to tackle and narrow that divide by providing digital opportunity and digital justice in global, metropolitan and especially the urban community context. As an example of the last of these, we will focus on the Craigmillar estate in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Craigmillar is one of Scotland's poorest housing estates.If the digital divide does exist then it will most clearly be identified in low income neighbourhoods such as Craigmillar. Despite being labelled as an area of social problems and categorised as an area of socio-economic exclusion, there exists a strong tradition of forward looking community and cultural action upon which many groups have built. Craigmillar Community Information Service (CCIS)is an award winning Internet Service, training and access provider that has led the way in terms of community development of cyberspace in both Edinburgh and Scotland since 1993. If areas such as Craigmillar have a wired and ICT literate population then the local community will thrive economically and become less dependent.
The paper will explore the following issues: