Internet, Civil Society and Global Governance: The Neglected Political Dimension of the Digital Divide

The catchphrase of the “digital divide” has evolved into a central point of reference for policymakers and IT practitioners alike. It provides an imaginative shorthand for the multiple imbalances that characterize the diffusion of novel information and communication technologies (ICTs) along income, gender, age and many other socioeconomic categories. The numbers are well-known and widely published: