Information capital and digital inequality

Volume 5, Number 3, 2020, P. 389–397

[ SOCIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ]

Article (file: pdf, size: 566 KB, downloads: 451)

Abstract:

One of the pressing problems facing modern society is developed information capital and a special type of inequality – digital one. The article shows the role of information capital in the era of formation and development of electronic culture. The article specifies the role of information capital in the era of the formation and development of electronic culture, which being a kind of addition to the book culture seems to be dominant, determining all the processes taking place in society. The author shows that there are two types of information capital: individual information capital and public information capital. Information inequality was inherent to any society at all stages of its development, but it is manifested most clearly now when electronic culture dominates, all social processes have accelerated when it comes to the digital economy, online education. Digital inequality is manifested at the intergenerational level, which seems natural, as well as between countries. In the author’s opinion, to overcome such inequality or at least to reduce it to an acceptable level is necessary to ensure sustainable development and mitigate the confrontation in the modern world. It is emphasized that digital inequality deepens all other its forms, leads to stagnation in the development of many regions of the world, and does not allow a transition to post-industrial civilization. The author focuses specifically on manifestation of digital inequality during COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:

e-culture, information capital, digital inequality, types of digital inequality, sustainable development

Author:

Vladimir V. Krivosheev, Dr. Sci. (Sociological Sciences), Professor, Associate Professor of Institute of Humanities, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia

For citation:

Krivosheev V.V. (2020) Information capital and digital inequality. Sotsial’naya kompetentnost’ = Social Competence. Vol. 5. No. 3. Pp. 389–397. (In Russ.)

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