Digital Inclusion

This collection presents policy and research that addresses digital inequalities, access, and skills, from multiple international perspectives. With a special focus on the impact of the COVID-19, the collection is based on the 2021 Digital Inclusion, Policy and Research Conference, with chapters from both academia and civic organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed citizens’ relationship with digital technologies for the foreseeable future. Many people’s main channels of communication were transferred to digital services, platforms, and apps. Everything ‘went online’: our families, friends, partners, health, work, news, politics, culture, arts and protesting. Yet access to digital technologies remained highly unequal. This brought digital inclusion policy and research to the fore, highlighting to policymakers and the public the ‘hidden’ challenges and impacts of digital exclusion and inequalities. The cutting-edge volume offers research findings and policy case studies that explore digital inclusion from the provision of basic access to digital, via education and digital literacy, and on to issues of gender and technology. Case studies are drawn from varied sources including the UK, Australia, South America, and Eastern Europe, providing a valuable resource in the pursuit of social equity and justice. Simeon Yates is Professor of Digital Culture at the University of Liverpool (UK) and co-director of the Digital Media and Society Institute. He has undertaken research on the social, political and cultural impacts of digital media since 1990. Since 2004 he has mainly focused on projects that address issues of digital inclusion and exclusion. Elinor Carmi is a feminist, researcher, journalist, and an ex-radio broadcaster who has a passion for data politics, digital rights, and feminism. Currently Dr. Carmi is a Lecturer in Data Politics and Social Justice, at the Sociology & Criminology Department at City, University of London, UK.