The Digital Divide, the UN, and the Computing Profession

Holmes, Neville (2003) The Digital Divide, the UN, and the Computing Profession. Computer, 36 (12). 144, 142-143. ISSN 0018-9162

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/MC.2003.1250898

Abstract

This essay is an examination of and a commentary on the United Nations' World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 December held to adopt a declaration that embodies, in its draft form at least, "the ambitious vision" of "bridging the Digital Divide". It is critical of the Summit and applies the traditional principles of systems analysis to reach quite different conclusions than those foreshadowed for the Summit. The problem is seen as inequity and the Digital Divide merely as a symptom of the problem. George Soros' views on the global capitalist system's deficiencies are taken as a starting point for an examination of the role of digital technology in the poorer nations of the world.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	A more formal version of this essay was published as essay 6.2 in the author's book "Computers and People" (Wiley, 2006). This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. Copyright 2003 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
Keywords:	United Nations, digital divide, systems analysis, inequality, poverty, global capitalism, information society
Subjects:	370000 Studies in Human Society > 370100 Sociology > 370102 Social Policy and Planning 360000 Policy and Political Science > 360100 Political Science > 360105 International Relations
ID Code:	1513
Deposited By:	Mr Neville Holmes
Deposited On:	03 Aug 2007
Last Modified:	09 Jan 2008 02:30
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