Digital Inequalities A Research Perspective from the United

Digital Inequalities: A Research Perspective from the United States Melissa R. Gilbert Department of Geography and Urban Studies Temple University Web Science Doctoral Training Centre University of Southampton March 9, 2011

Social Justice and ICTs Critical Geography l Power and Inequality l Place, Space, and Landscape Social Justice Framework l Agency and Daily Life l Multiplicity of Experiences l Research for Empowerment Implications for ICTs l Theory l Praxis

The Digital Divide: Lessons from Philadelphia Two technology use contexts l l Harrison Plaza Tenant’s Association (HPTA) Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) 11 th Street Corridor, Philadelphia PA l l African-American and Latino Populations Deindustrialization and Racial Segregation High rates of unemployment, poverty, and public assistance Low educational attainment and literacy rates

Two Technology PRACTICE Use Contexts I. in Philadelphia, PA Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) North Philadelphia 11 th Street Corridor Harrison Plaza Public Housing Development Center City Philadelphia

Collaborative Activities l Assess technical capacity l Identify ICT needs l Create technology facilities l Design curricula l Develop community information resources l Develop interfaces and networks

Case 1: Kensington Welfare Rights Union l Organizational Objectives Reframe policy discussions about poverty around economic human rights Network to other grassroots organizations l IT Delivery Approach Computer and training of staff for database development Intranet Information management and technology use workshops

Case 2: Harrison Plaza Public Housing Development l Community Objectives – l Attain access to computers, internet, and educational programs for basic computer literacy and job related computer skills IT Delivery Approach – – Demonstration community technology center (CTC) Educational programs l l Adult basic computer education After-school program Internet access course Open computer access hours

Lessons Learned l Poor women have different frameworks for ICT use l Conventional resources are not enough l “Have nots” are highly differentiated l We need to partner with “have nots”

Lessons Learned l Adjust ICT resources to users l We need our most sophisticated technology skills l Move beyond a model of that sees technology as the problem and solution l We can’t address the digital divide from our technology use framework

Conceptualizing Digital Divides and Urban Inequalities l l l Digital divide research is descriptive Lacks analysis of agency, power, and place Social Justice Framework: 1. 2. 3. Power and Inequality Place and Scale Technological Capital/Community Context

Model for Examining Urban Inequalities and Digital Divides Globalization SCALE Regional Metropolitan Intra-Urban Community Neighborhood Economic Restructuring Occupational Segregation Information Society International National By sex and race Labor Markets Housing Markets Welfare State Restructuring Neoliberal Reform Public Services Work Education Social Services Daily Activity Patterns Home Organizations Social Capital Technological Capital Library Non-Profit Child Care Church Shopping Leisure Individual Technological Capacity Social Networks Educational History Job History Residential History Household Characteristics AGENCY Constellation of Power Relations

Conclusion Implications for Theory and Praxis l l l Examination of empowerment related to people’s own ICT frameworks Treating marginalized ICT-users as full partners to develop technologies and policies. Interdisciplinarity and partnerships require new institutional frameworks

Partnership with Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) Trajectory of University • Installed one computer Community Partnerships in • Assisted with data management • ICT skills for Philadelphia members • Students participated in summit • Faculty co-organized workshop North Philadelphia 11 th Street Corridor Partnership with Harrison Plaza Resident’s Association Center City Philadelphia • Demonstration CTC • 4 Temple courses • Educational programs 50 children and 25 adults

APM Puertorriquenos en Marcha Temple Medical Trajectory of University. School Community Partnerships in Philadelphia Edison HS Partnership Sites North Philadelphia William Penn HS Harrison Plaza Elementary School Center City Philadelphia Harrison Plaza Wanamaker Middle School Temple Engineering Building Current Partnerships l IT educational programs serving 250 families in six community setting locations and two Temple locations