Understanding Digital Inequalities in the Global South

Abstract

This chapter draws attention to the multilayer nature of the term ‘inequalities’, which embraces many different types of inequalities—social, cultural, economic and so on. We argue that digital inequalities, which are the key point of this book, are closely intertwined with other existing types of inequalities. We illustrate this idea by focusing on the three levels of the digital divide (access, skills and benefits people are gaining through their online activities). The chapter provides a detailed overview of theoretical approaches to the study of digital inequalities across the globe (Europe, the U.S., Arab and Middle Eastern nations, ‘Emerging States’, Commonwealth of Independent States [CIS] countries, etc.) and justifies the need for a more detailed approach to the analysis of digital inequalities in the Global South.