The document analyzes perspectives on globalization and the digital divide from Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat and other sources. It discusses how definitions of the digital divide vary and how issues like corporate responsibility, Western influence in developing countries, and inclusion of marginalized groups must be considered. While Friedman is optimistic about globalization, other researchers address more negative impacts and complex societal factors that must be understood to effectively address the digital divide on a global scale.
Digital Natives with a Cause newsletter - Changing Face Of Citizen ActionNilofar Ansher
In this issue of the newsletter, we explore the mechanics of activism aided by media: web, social, digital, and traditional. What do we understand by a cause and how does it find resonance at the local and global platforms? Is the digital native a community player or a global citizen? How do digital natives connect, collaborate, mobilize and bring about their visions of change? The aim is to not establish or reinforce these dichotomies, if indeed they exist, but to understand the dimensions of the stage the digital natives operate on and if that stage is a synecdoche for global youth-led civic action. http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/citizen-activism-the-past-decade
Digital Natives with a Cause newsletter - Changing Face Of Citizen ActionNilofar Ansher
In this issue of the newsletter, we explore the mechanics of activism aided by media: web, social, digital, and traditional. What do we understand by a cause and how does it find resonance at the local and global platforms? Is the digital native a community player or a global citizen? How do digital natives connect, collaborate, mobilize and bring about their visions of change? The aim is to not establish or reinforce these dichotomies, if indeed they exist, but to understand the dimensions of the stage the digital natives operate on and if that stage is a synecdoche for global youth-led civic action. http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/citizen-activism-the-past-decade
League for Innovation paper: Using the acronymic CARA (commitment, accountability, responsibility, action) of the United Nations to combat & dissolve FEAR, "false evidence appearing real."
social networking individual vs. crowd behavior (connected intelligence)INFOGAIN PUBLICATION
The study of Human behavior is much more complicated in various situations, especially on the spectrum of Social Networks. The study of individual behavior cannot be replicated for a group/crowd behavior which can have many social and behavioral dimensions. In the connected world where intelligence is shared among individuals and groups, there exists another kind of complexity which needs to be examined.The complexity of human behaviors as an individual or as a group on the social networks is much more versatile and erratic. The research work studies and analyzes these behaviors in a connected networked intelligent environment and as to how these behaviors are reflected towards Connected Intelligence. Consequently it defines how they can affect the intelligent analytical outcomes. Finally it comes up with a generic model which can be applied in any setup.
On Messages, MKTG, & Media: The Political Philosophy of Marketing, Communicat...wspj
The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between marketing as mass communication and collective conscious as a sociopolitical theory. The series of papers are intended to familiarize the reader with marketing as a business with clear-cut objectives and as an example of mass communication in general. The analysis of marketing in this paper will cover traditional marketing communications, the technological advances in marketing and communications, and finally the new dawn of marketing in light of the explosion of social media as the new go-to medium. The analysis will then take marketing outside of its industry context and look at the deeper interactions (individual-to-individual, collective-to-individual, individual-to-collective) taking place during the processes of marketing as exemplified in different cases and how these examples demonstrate the communication of a collective ethos, one way or another. Basically, the analysis of marketing and collective consciousness, in this paper, seeks to think about how the different ways of telling a lot people stuff or having a lot of people say stuff to one another creates a unified message or expression within that group of people.
A significant amount of work has been done to analyze the impact of marketing on the way people communicate and how people understand things and get information, but it could be interesting to analyze the impact that marketing has had on people as a whole. That is to beg the question: how can marketing in its various uses impact the masses of people, or more simply put, The People? Yes, that stylistic adjustment of the concept of “the people” indicates the nuanced idea of society as at all time and everywhere a bodypolitic whether microcosmic or holistically, even in the circumstances of anti-political mobilization. So in what ways do and can marketing communications influence or inform the collective consciousness of a people, a political or sub-political consciousness? In order to provide insight in response to this question it will be essential to analyze three central themes within this question: the particular role of Personhood or personality (stylish anthropomorphism) in the idea of branding and brand marketing, the relationship between marketing and social milieu, and finally the mechanisms of marketing in disseminating messages and influencing general consensus and what that means for the mechanisms and the activity of mass communication.
Though this may sound particularly technical or theoretical, it is not necessarily or especially so. This paper will simply look at marketing's ability to excite and elicit group expression and what that excitement means, when and where. The constant theme in this series of analyses will be the comparison of political marketing and business marketing and their impacts upon society hinging on general popularity. We need to see how messages work in the world today and we'll figure out how to better communica
Analysing the role_of (2) Relation Sandro Suzart SUZART GOOGLE INC Uni...Sandro Suzart
relationship between Sandro Suzart SUZART GOOGLE INC and United States on Demonstrations 2013 and Impeachments of 22 governments Relation, Sandro Suzart, SUZART, GOOGLE INC, United States on Demonstrations countries IMPEACHMENT GOOGLE INC
37 role of social media in political and regime change the college studyMary Smith
It is an educational blog and intended to serve as complete and self-contained work on essays, paragraph, speeches, articles, letters, stories, quotes.
https://www.thecollegestudy.net/
In this report we analyze the public discourse on poverty, inequality, charity, and aid to show how to get beyond the broken narratives that have hindered foundations and NGO's for the last three decades.
Recommendations are given for running campaigns based on our key findings...
League for Innovation paper: Using the acronymic CARA (commitment, accountability, responsibility, action) of the United Nations to combat & dissolve FEAR, "false evidence appearing real."
social networking individual vs. crowd behavior (connected intelligence)INFOGAIN PUBLICATION
The study of Human behavior is much more complicated in various situations, especially on the spectrum of Social Networks. The study of individual behavior cannot be replicated for a group/crowd behavior which can have many social and behavioral dimensions. In the connected world where intelligence is shared among individuals and groups, there exists another kind of complexity which needs to be examined.The complexity of human behaviors as an individual or as a group on the social networks is much more versatile and erratic. The research work studies and analyzes these behaviors in a connected networked intelligent environment and as to how these behaviors are reflected towards Connected Intelligence. Consequently it defines how they can affect the intelligent analytical outcomes. Finally it comes up with a generic model which can be applied in any setup.
On Messages, MKTG, & Media: The Political Philosophy of Marketing, Communicat...wspj
The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between marketing as mass communication and collective conscious as a sociopolitical theory. The series of papers are intended to familiarize the reader with marketing as a business with clear-cut objectives and as an example of mass communication in general. The analysis of marketing in this paper will cover traditional marketing communications, the technological advances in marketing and communications, and finally the new dawn of marketing in light of the explosion of social media as the new go-to medium. The analysis will then take marketing outside of its industry context and look at the deeper interactions (individual-to-individual, collective-to-individual, individual-to-collective) taking place during the processes of marketing as exemplified in different cases and how these examples demonstrate the communication of a collective ethos, one way or another. Basically, the analysis of marketing and collective consciousness, in this paper, seeks to think about how the different ways of telling a lot people stuff or having a lot of people say stuff to one another creates a unified message or expression within that group of people.
A significant amount of work has been done to analyze the impact of marketing on the way people communicate and how people understand things and get information, but it could be interesting to analyze the impact that marketing has had on people as a whole. That is to beg the question: how can marketing in its various uses impact the masses of people, or more simply put, The People? Yes, that stylistic adjustment of the concept of “the people” indicates the nuanced idea of society as at all time and everywhere a bodypolitic whether microcosmic or holistically, even in the circumstances of anti-political mobilization. So in what ways do and can marketing communications influence or inform the collective consciousness of a people, a political or sub-political consciousness? In order to provide insight in response to this question it will be essential to analyze three central themes within this question: the particular role of Personhood or personality (stylish anthropomorphism) in the idea of branding and brand marketing, the relationship between marketing and social milieu, and finally the mechanisms of marketing in disseminating messages and influencing general consensus and what that means for the mechanisms and the activity of mass communication.
Though this may sound particularly technical or theoretical, it is not necessarily or especially so. This paper will simply look at marketing's ability to excite and elicit group expression and what that excitement means, when and where. The constant theme in this series of analyses will be the comparison of political marketing and business marketing and their impacts upon society hinging on general popularity. We need to see how messages work in the world today and we'll figure out how to better communica
Analysing the role_of (2) Relation Sandro Suzart SUZART GOOGLE INC Uni...Sandro Suzart
relationship between Sandro Suzart SUZART GOOGLE INC and United States on Demonstrations 2013 and Impeachments of 22 governments Relation, Sandro Suzart, SUZART, GOOGLE INC, United States on Demonstrations countries IMPEACHMENT GOOGLE INC
37 role of social media in political and regime change the college studyMary Smith
It is an educational blog and intended to serve as complete and self-contained work on essays, paragraph, speeches, articles, letters, stories, quotes.
https://www.thecollegestudy.net/
In this report we analyze the public discourse on poverty, inequality, charity, and aid to show how to get beyond the broken narratives that have hindered foundations and NGO's for the last three decades.
Recommendations are given for running campaigns based on our key findings...
This presentation was delivered at Startup Saturday Delhi by Anirudh and Vineesh from Pictualize for the product WeboWord and targeted about what is WeboWord and how is it panning out.
IMMIGRATION REFORM 2
IMMIGRATION REFORM2
Immigration Reform
Satyika Rayamajhi
West Coast University
PHIL341: Critical Reasoning
Professor: Michael Cook
Date: May 8
Abstract
The paper covers immigration reforms and the various aspect it brings to society. The argument that supports immigration and the benefits it brings to society is outlined in the paper also the counterarguments, the fallacies related to immigration, and the way people take these fallacies about immigration. The bias that is related to the cultural and social difference between natives and immigrants is also pointed out in the report. The rhetorical devices that are related to immigration have been used by our leaders to help us understand immigration from a different perspective.
Introduction
Immigration possesses an ongoing debate where people are concerned if immigration is beneficial or not to society. This paper will be examining the benefits and counterarguments concerning immigration. Immigration can be beneficial in society if it is well accepted within the different communities and ethnic groups in the country. These arguments about immigration have led to the change in policies regarding immigration making it difficult to gain access to certain countries. This is due to fear and the misunderstanding that is brought by people in society. The fallacies related to immigration are the various factors that will be discussed in this report.
Those in favor of immigration have the belief that immigration has enriched the culture of the host nation or society and has provided numerous benefits to the overall country. Immigration leads to cross-cultural integration this is through the increase of ethnic variety within a society. The increase in diversity helps in increasing and improving the society as well as improving learning in individuals (Richards, 2018). This also means there is an increase in skill development, this is where there is a learning opportunity for people to interact and get to understand the difference in how things are done in various cultures. This helps one adjust their ways of operation to be able to fit in the society. Immigration can be beneficial because there will be an improvement in tax payment within the country that will lead to an increase in wages increase.
Arguments and Counterarguments
Being controversial topic immigration has a conflicting opinions from various people across the global scale. People believe that immigration takes away or manipulates the original culture and tradition of a given society this is where the introduction of new ways and behaviors causes an unwanted change in the society that many people do not like. The perspective is that immigration brings a bad influence on society hence, traditions are forgotten and people follow new ways of life (Ma & Hofmann, 2019). Traditions have changed in marriage, technology, and many other aspects related to the mode of living in society. They argue that ...
The digital divide has serious consequences in the information soc.docxmehek4
The digital divide has serious consequences in the information society. If ‘information is power’ why is creativity one of the key focuses concentration areas in the UKs Digital Economy Act?
Main points to focus on when reading for this topic:
The digital divide – all reading in regards to this point
Information society – Castells work in regards to this point
UK Digital Economy Act – Read the act and find out more about concentration areas, spefically, Creativity.
TOPIC POINT – Internet access plays a vital part in a modern society
Networks (Castells)
His hypothesis: the historical superiority of vertical/hierarchical organizations. That non centred networked form of social organization had material limits to overcome. Fundamentally linked to available technologies.
Networks have strength in their flexibility, adaptability and capacity to self configure
Global Networks
· Digital networks are global, as they have the capacity to reconfigure themselves, as directed by their programmers, transcending territorial and institutional boundaries through telecommunicated computer networks (pp 24)
· The global society is a networked society and exclusion from these networks is ‘tantamount to structural marginalisation in the global network society’ (Castells, 2009: 25)
Limitations of materials. Benefits from global networks: access to bigger markets and a variety of producers. Breaking down the value chain.
States – the network state
· State have sovereignty in specific territories; has ultimate legislative powers; the power of force (police/army); and have citizens. They are the ones who have an existent power relationships. They are very powerful: control the material form of power (guns, armies, war, police, army) and they have power over the citizens.
· With globalisation and networks these powers affect the sovereignty of the state which has to alter/transform to adapt to these dynamic situations
A. They associate together – ASEAN; EU; NATO; etc. – G20 at the ‘top of the pecking order’
B. Dense networks of international organisations to deal with international issues (UN; WTO; IMF; World Bank etc.)
C. Nation states devolve powers to regional bodies and sometimes NGOs to overcome a crisis of political legitimacy.
The material we discussed in last weeks lecture details the role of the State in the UK
Organisations – the network organization
· Castells points to the rise of the network enterprise as a response to the needs to increased flexibility and autonomy.
· Large organisations are divided internally into networks; small ones are parts of larger networks.
· These networks are dynamic and not stable and may (re)form around specific projects as alliances and partnerships.
· The unit of production is the business project not the firm though it is still the ‘legal unit of capital accumulation.’
· Financial valuation remains key and global financial markets are key in a network economy.
He also talks about the rise of the network ente ...
Including the Excluded Can ICTs empower poor communities? Towards an alternat...Soren Gigler
nder which conditions can information and communications technologies (ICTs) empower poor communities? This paper investigates this question, focusing on the role of information and communications technologies in promoting indigenous people's development in Latin America. First, the paper analyzes key factors under which information and knowledge can be instrumental and substantive for the empowerment of marginalized groups. Hereby, we argue that improved access to information and ICT skills, similar to the enhancement of a person's writing and reading skills, can enhance poor peoples' capabilities to make strategic life choices and to achieve the lifestyle they value. Furthermore, the paper develops an alternative evaluation framework for ICT interventions based on Sen's capability approach. This framework places, in contrast to the current discourse around the "digital divide", the human development of the poor and not technology at the center of the analysis. The paper concludes that there does not exist a direct and causal relationship between ICTs and empowerment, but that in fact this relationship is being shaped by a dynamic, multi-dimensional interrelationship between technology and the social context.
Communication Theories - Knowledge Gap & Modernization Theory Alyssa G. Lobo
This presentation discusses two communication theories - Knowledge Gap (Tichenor, Donohue & Olien, 1970) and Modernization Theory (Marks, 2014). We apply these theories through an examination of contemporary uses of social media across the globe. In India, the rise of the internet has led to the rise of "semi-arranged marriages" (Jejeebhoy et al., 2013) and a growing dating culture. In Africa, we examine how young people use social media to fulfill information needs (GeoPoll Rapid Survey, February 2017). With respect to the Knowledge Gap , we look at if education and social standing really do affect political awareness and activism, and if social media can actually help bridge socio-economic gap.
Running Head ADULT LITERACY1ADULT LITERACY7.docxSUBHI7
Running Head: ADULT LITERACY 1
ADULT LITERACY 7
ADULT LITERACY
Name: Tina Lewis
Course: Gen 499/ General Education Capstone
Instructor: Daniel Kreutzer
Date: December 18, 2017
Introduction
Government assistance programs are not the solution to help with the United States financial crisis. In the world of technology, adult literacy can improve the financial gap between classes, while illiteracy negatively affects our society by placing countries in further financial difficulty. A grown-up is always categorized as educated with relation to his or her capacity to complete deeds that are similarly errand related and additional abilities related. The aptitudes related grouping contains a grown-up's capacity to viably read content, and furthermore, which contains word-level ID similarly and a predominant level proficiency gifts. Acing abilities related deeds are necessary to be capable of ending assignment based deeds. Three sorts of proficiency that are measured are instruction based education, societal education, and also one's literacy. The motivation behind this exploration stances to deliver how to distinguish the reasons for grown-up illiteracy, clarify how it influences the general public and giving measurable data demonstrating the level of individuals influenced by this, lastly offering answers for this subject.
Thesis
Illiteracy impacts are mostly felt in country’s system of finance. Grown-up literacy charges a country’s economy a projected sum of $240 billion a year in misdirected industrial inefficiency, unrealized tax profits, misconducts, unavailability, and coupled social ills. Illiteracy also stimulates the over-all health of the country. A projected amount of twenty-three percent of the adult community in America is functionally uneducated (stage 1 according to the countrywide mature Literacy review), lacking essential proficiencies further than a fifth-grade reading level. Illiteracy is extensive, a problem across our global society, not limited to one race, region, or socioeconomic class (Fernandez, 2012).
The absence of education has a huge effect on the monetary framework too. Grown-up lack of education costs the economy an expected measure of $240 billion a year in lost modern proficiency, hidden assessment benefits, wrongdoing, deficiency, and associated social ills. Lack of education additionally impacts the general strength of the country. An expected measure of twenty-three percent of the grown-up group in America is practically uneducated (stage1 as per the countrywide develop Literacy survey), lacking fundamental proficiencies more remote than a fifth-grade perusing level. Absence of education is broad, an issue over our worldwide society, not restricted to one race, locale, or financial class
Administrations and financiers are concerned in quantifying the abilities possessed by their populations for them to check on how well-found to fit in the government’s modern knowledge-related ...
The groundswell of peer-to-peer exchanges across mobile and social platforms empowers people everywhere and anywhere to produce and share with as much authority as they are able to consume and buy. This presentation was developed to explain our SxSW panel entitled: Digital Anarchy: the "bitcoin" effect.
Bitcoin is not only giving banks a run for their money, it threatens to disrupt the centralized power of all sorts of business, political and social infrastructures. Most importantly, bitcoin enables a true "peer economy." This interactive panel discussion will explain how bitcoin is fast becoming a catalyst for change and how the blockchain has the power to uproot a number of our most recognizable dot coms. “The peer economy is inevitable, because humans cannot survive unless we significantly increase what we share as equals.”
Similar to Shifting sands globalization and digital equity ites midterm (16)
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Shifting sands globalization and digital equity ites midterm
1. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 1
Running head: Shifting Sands: Globalization, Equity, and the Current State of the Digital Divide
Shifting Sands: Globalization and Digital Equity
Colleen M. Ites
Iowa State University
4 March 2011
2. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 2
ABSTRACT
Current views of globalization and its impact on digital equity have been hot-button topics for the
last decade. The publication of Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat in 2005 took an issue that had
previously been in the academic fields of education and economics and brought it to the American
forefront. The fears of globalization as a method of removing the United States’ traditional world
domination in the economic sector were directly and frankly confronted, as well as the role American
education must fulfill to give future world citizens the best possible chances at future careers.
Throughout the work Friedman argues that while a difficult process, acceptance of globalization
would be a benefit for Americans overall.
This article will address the optimistic ideals found in Friedman’s book by comparing it with other
current research on theories surrounding the digital divide, globalization, the Western influence on
developing nations, and the social responsibilities of multinational corporations. Important questions
addressed after an initial analysis of the review of literature will include the following:
• What is the true definition of the digital divide and is this divide constant or changing?
• To what extent are the ideas of globalization intertwined with corporate responsibility? Does
that responsibility extend to workers in developing countries, and how should this
responsibility be monitored or maintained on a global level?
• How much of an influence should the Western world have in developing countries, as most
of the digital growth has initiated in the West?
• How does bridging the digital divide include those who are often on society’s fringes?
Keywords: digital divide, globalization, digital equity, technology implementation
3. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 3
Shifting Sands: Globalization and Digital Equity
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF LITERATURE
In this essay the author will compare the ideas found in Friedman’s work with alternative
ideas on globalization and the digital divide, and explain possible ‘fixes’ for these complicated
issues. The issues of digital equity are addressed in James McShay's chapter “Paulo Freire’s
Liberatory Pedagogy: Rethinking Issues of Technology Access and Use in Education” where the
author discusses the need for a shift from thinking about technology access and use toward
thinking of technology as a form of Freire’s liberatory media, enabling repressed peoples the
potential for freedom and social change. Jill Jameson also draws on Freirean’s critical pedagogy
as she analyzes attempts at addressing the digital divide in Zimbabwe while taking into account
the country’s violent and impoverished past and present in her chapter “The Digital Abyss in
Zimbabwe.” Francesco Amoretti and Fortunato Musella in their chapter “Governing Digital
Divides: Power Structures and ICT Strategies in a Global Perspective” discuss the impact
Western ICT providers and growth has had on nations around the world and if the dependence of
developing countries on Western ICT providers puts them as risk of becoming technology
colonies to the West. All chapters are found in International Exploration of Technology Equity
and the Digital Divide, a collection of varying viewpoints and theories surrounding the concept
of digital equity edited by Patricia R. Leigh.
The final works used in this article will give specific and detailed alternatives to the
‘automatic promise’ of closing the digital divide found in Friedman’s work. In Paul C. Gorski’s
“Insisting on Digital Equity: Reframing the Dominant Discourse on Multicultural Education and
Technology,” the author argues that the issues of digital inequities must be faced and addressed
4. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 4
before the digital divide can be overcome. Don Fallis argues for the application of epistemic
value theory to apply a value to knowledge learned through the implementation and use of
technology in his article, “Epistemic Value Theory and the Digital Divide.” And finally, an
examination of the impact technology has had on the complex caste society found in India is
found in Elizabeth Langran’s article “Caste, Class, and IT in India.” All the resources above will
be examined and analyzed to determine if the digital divide is growing or closing.
ANALYSIS AND CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSIONS
While all these texts address various interpretations of the term “digital divide” there is
no one steadfast definition for this concept. Friedman defines digital divide as the technological
differences found between those who have access to and have embraced new and emerging
communication and business technologies. He argues that the digital divide is shrinking is based
on the implementation of new technologies by specific sectors of societies in developing
countries and how those in these sectors are utilizing these new technologies to better their lives
and the economic health of their country. He uses economic and industrial centers in India and
China to make his point: multinationals and home-grown companies developed methods of
outsourcing and off-shoring that brought about the ‘flattening’ process Friedman espouses
throughout the book (Friedman, 2005 p. 126-151).
Friedman’s definition is similar to the ‘accepted’ definition used by pundits and news
media all over the world, but new research on the topic intends to broaden and deepen the
definition of an idea that seems simple but is actually quite complicated. McShay uses the
Freire’s liberatory pedagogy to expand the definition from the access to and use of new
technologies to addressing the actual technology as an agent of liberation and a catalyst for social
change to disenfranchised peoples around the world (2010 p. 138). In this example the
5. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 5
technology itself is a tool for providing educational and legal opportunities to those previously
overlooked in the new global economy, especially those of color, impoverished, or in a lowered
social ranking. This idea of using the language surrounding technology advances as a guidepost
for state development in poor nations is groundbreaking and will require an entire new viewpoint
on the idea of the digital divide.
The fear of developing a form of digital colonization by allowing Western information and
technology companies (ICTs) to control diffusion of new technologies in developing countries is
covered in depth by Amoretti and Musella (2010 p.193). This article espouses that the attempts
to use ICT as a method of reducing the digital divide is in effect providing a greater resource to
the elites found in developing countries, therefore making the digital divide greater than before.
This inequity between the educated elite and less-educated (usually rural) poor in such countries
takes into account how the digital divide is also a separation of social and democratic rights, and
argues that gaps in funding and infrastructures in developing countries must be addressed before
the digital divide can begin to close (Amoretti and Musella, 2010 pp. 196-198).
Specific countries serve as excellent examples of the complex interactions between the digital
divide and globalization. Zimbabwe is one of the poorest, most disorganized, and violent
countries in Africa today. Attempts at normalization and establishment of a democracy
following British colonial rule have been marred by the despot Mugabe, civil unrest, an epidemic
of HIV/AIDS, and a lack of natural resources. These factors all contribute to Zimbabwe’s
complete lack of “ ‘network readiness’ in ICT … in comparison with (other) African countries
… which have overtaken its capability amongst the ‘bottom 20’ “ nations in the 2008 - 2009
Global Information Technology Report (GITR) (Jameson, 2010 p.115). This with other ranking
accounts leads Zimbabwe to the dubious title of “least developed nation in the world for ICT”
6. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 6
(Jameson, 2010 p.117). These factors have also led Zimbabwe to become less informed and
therefore more isolated from the rest of the world; this generational lack of information has led
the oppressed peoples to not strive for freedom but instead to become cogs in the machinery of
violence and oppression. They oppressed fight instead to become the oppressors (Jameson, 2010
pp. 123-125). While Jameson argues that Freire’s praxis for positive change could lead to a
greater change in Zimbabwe, because of the country’s nearly complete disenfranchisement from
the developed world, those who would institute this change must be dependent on other states to
begin to close the digital divide (2010 pp. 123-128). In this example, globalization has given up
on Zimbabwe, as her own people have given up on her, people who have instead chosen to
become displaced persons in search of skills to rebuild Zimbabwe. One issue not confronted in
the article was how those in power in Zimbabwe (often through bribes and illegal disbursement
of funds) would potentially deal with these newly skilled citizens ‘upending the apple cart’ in
terms of power. As with every society, those who hold the power will rule the people. The great
attention to detail given every other aspect of this article makes the lack of attention given to this
potential threat disturbing.
Gorski directly addresses the issued of the digital divide as hinging on the digital
inequities that are evident for all peoples on the fringes of societies. His proposal for continual
multicultural education is a combination of multicultural education and social reconstructionism.
Gorski cautions educators to carefully consider if the implementation of new innovations will
enrich and enable multicultural education or if it will create further inequalities between the
advantages and disadvantaged in American education. He also directs educators to dig deep into
honestly defining the multicultural education, the digital divide, access to technology, and digital
inequities (Gorski, 2008 pp.350-356).The issues that spoke most to me where how educators
7. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 7
needs to create non-hostile digital cultures designed to be safe places of learning for all
regardless of previous digital cultural norms. This addressed the issues of educating female,
minority, and impoverished students in a way that was not even regarded by the Friedman text.
The inclusion of these specific groups was a welcome addition to the current study of digital
inequities by displaying to educators specific areas of concern regarding implementation of
digital innovations.
Elizabeth Lungran addresses these same issues of digital inequities specific to India and
utilizes comparisons to Thomas Friedmans’ The World Is Flat within her article. She argues that
providing access without considering the issues of class, caste, and power will never allow for
the ultimate flattening of all in India. If technologies are implemented and a blind eye is turned
toward these issues, the digital divide will continue to grow with the potential to result in
political instability and localized isolation of social groups already on the fringes of society
(2011 pp.5-7). Lungran also touches on the specific needs of women in a society where gender
issues abound. Finally, she addresses the issues specific to the caste system, class hierarchies,
and the rising divide between the digerati and the common, poor Indian (2011 pp.7-12). In her
conclusions Lungran agrees with Friedman regarding necessary improvements to the Indian
school system, removal of bureaucratic and academic barriers, and creation of a domestic market
for software as the best ways to diffuse knowledge to the ‘have-nots’ of India. That being said,
she did disagree with Friedman regarding the infusion of new capital back into the Indian
economy: Lungran argues that these previous steps are necessary in order for change to occur
while Friedman believes it is already occurring (2011 13-15; Friedman, 2005 pp.425, 479-482).
A final common ground between Lungran and Freidman is in regards to corporate
responsibilities for multinational corporations. Friedman believes that multinationals need to
8. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 8
offer workers a safe environment with adequate pay (2005 p, 425), and Lungran also believes
this to be true (2011 p.16). The final difference is regarding the moral value of globalization,
where both give excellent factual supports for his and her points of view. These all comprise the
complicated state of globalization and the digital divide today, as well as the potential solutions
to these problems.
While many articles espouse theories on how to truly define the digital divide and
implement globalization effectively in developing countries, Don Fallis proposes the use of a
mathematic methodology epistemology value theory to measure the distribution of knowledge
and the value of access to information technology (2007 pp.30-31). This quantification is
measurable once the distribution of knowledge regarding differing digital divide policies to
determine which (if any) are most effective based on the types of implementation and societies
encountered. He has two solid arguments comparing differing distributions of knowledge:
utilitarian, with the maximized average amount of cumulative societal knowledge, egalitarian, an
attempt to distribute knowledge equally to all members of society, Rawlsian, where inequities
among members of a society are accepted as long as those less informed receive the greatest
increase in knowledge (Fallis, 2007 31-35). While this scientific measurement of the distribution
of new knowledge may seem like a guaranteed way to solve the digital divide, Fallis cautions the
reader regarding acquirement of new knowledge harming previous social, religious, and cultural
norms is a raw reality in the flattening of the world as we know it (2007 pp.35-39). While
Feinstein does address the changes that technology diffusion may bring to local communities and
cultures, his positive spin on creating policies that honor these traditions while implementing
new technologies would require a scientific scaffold such as Fallis’ theory to establish an
effective implementation.
9. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 9
CONCLUSION
Each of these authors feels passionate about the impact of globalization and the digital divide
on different cultures throughout the world. Overall Friedman’s book is perhaps too optimistic at
the long-term effects of globalization. This is seen in his minimal accounts of the negative
impacts of new innovations on the cultural, local economic, and religious peoples of the world.
When Friedman does address this issue, he tends to give examples of extremists, such as the rise
of militant Islam and Al-Qaeda in the Middle East and Africa. This is a typical tactic of
Friedman’s regarding the darker side of globalization. While the book has a positive tone, he
does slip in some of the more negative aspects, including the sometimes lack of corporate
responsibility in a globalized world (2005 pp. 151-166), while in the same breath extolling the
virtues of the same company. For example, he discusses how the Gates Foundation is a
multinational that can be seen as controlling and rigid but that has done wonders for public
health all over the world when wealthy nations would not step up to the challenge (2005
pp.541-545). This process of partnering a negative aspect of globalization followed by a positive
one is an excellent way to slip bias past the reader to convince him or her to take a positive tone
or spin away from the book.
The chapters from Leigh’s book and the other articles do not use as much sugar-coating
as Friedman does. Instead, they often pick out specific cultural, gender, social, and economic
issues upon which to build the research of and attitudes toward globalization and attempts at
closing the digital divide. These same articles require the reading to really look at the long-
standing effects of globalization regarding digital equity and recommend that further research in
this field do the same.
10. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 10
Perhaps the greatest difference between Friedman and the other texts is how much time
Friedman spends explaining how all American schools need to change. McShay addresses the
unique needs of multicultural education and Gorski discusses the need to revamp definitions and
applications of new technologies, but Friedman far and away has the deepest and broadest
opinion on what is wrong in American education today. That being said, he offers many errors
and few solutions. The articles and chapters give more potential solutions to these issues as well
as others including the best ways to implement new technologies for specific groups and how to
address unique student and societal needs in technology education. They also address the
somewhat uncomfortable issue of developing countries becoming dependent on wealthier ones
for assistance in implementing new technologies, creating a new form of digital colonialism.
The awareness of how best to address these issues will be the guiding force for future
educational technologists and researchers. Technologists then must use this awareness along
with research results to make changes to the implementation, type, and dispersal of new
innovations to specific cultures and groups. Perhaps the best solution is to incorporate the Freier
pedagogy toward innovation implementation or the application of epistemic value theory toward
the overall accumulation of knowledge. As the shifting sands of information and communication
technologies continue to evolve and expand, it will require a broad and deep analysis of what has
and has and has not worked, minus emotional bias, to help educational researchers determine the
best solutions in successfully overcoming the digital divide. The greater emphasis recently
placed on the complex interactions of culture, tradition, religion, SES, understanding and
application of new technologies is a first step in the right direction.
11. SHIFTING SANDS: GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITAL EQUITY 11
REFERENCES
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P. R. Leigh (Ed.). International explorations of technology equity and the digital divide:
Critical, historical, and social perspectives. Hershey. PA: IGI Global.
Fallis, D. (2007). Epistemic value theory and the digital divide. In E. Rooksby & J. Weckert
(Eds.) Information technology and social justice, pp. 29-46. Hershey, PA: Information
Science Publishing.
Friedman, Thomas L. (2005). The world is flat. New York: Picador.
Gorski, P. C. (2009). Insisting on digital equity: Reframing the dominant discourse on
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Jameson, J. (2011). The digital abyss in Zimbabwe. In P. R. Leigh (Ed.). International
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Langran, E. K. (2011). Caste, class, and IT in India. In P. R. Leigh (Ed.). International
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perspectives. Hershey. PA: IGI Global.
McShay, J. C. (2011). Paulo Freire's liberatory pedagogy: Rethinking issues of technology. In P.
R. Leigh (Ed.). International explorations of technology equity and the digital divide:
Critical, historical, and social perspectives. Hershey. PA: IGI Global.