Digital (In)equality and Politics: Can Technology Change the World?
electronic device in history. Some 80 percent of the global population is within range of a cell tower, and mobile phones are increasingly seen in the poorest, remotest communities. These numbers prompt suggestions that there is no longer a “digital divide,’ for real-time communication. Yet any demographic account of mobile have-nots will show them to be predominantly poor, remote, female’ and politically mute. Whatever the case, if the spread of mobile ph°i’s is sufficient to help end global Poverty, we will know soon enough•’ But if ir doesn’t, should we then pin our hopes on the next new shiny gadget?
