The Internet for empowerment of minority and marginalized users
New Media & Society, 6 (6):
781-802 (December 2004)M3: Article; Mehra, Bharat 1 Merkel, Cecelia 2 Bishop, Ann Peterson 2; Affiliation: 1: University of Tennessee, USA. 2: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.; Source Info: Dec2004, Vol. 6 Issue 6, p781; Subject Term: INTERNET; Subject Term: EQUALITY; Subject Term: INTERNET research; Subject Term: DIGITAL divide; Subject Term: COMPUTERS; Subject Term: CYBERCULTURE; Author-Supplied Keyword: African-American; Author-Supplied Keyword: digital divide; Author-Supplied Keyword: low-income; Author-Supplied Keyword: sexual minorities; Author-Supplied Keyword: social equity; Author-Supplied Keyword: social justice; NAICS/Industry Codes: 518111 Internet Service Providers; NAICS/Industry Codes: 334111 Electronic Computer Manufacturing; NAICS/Industry Codes: 423430 Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers; Number of Pages: 22p; Document Type: Article.Abstract
The internet has tremendous potential to achieve greater social equity and empowerment and improve everyday life for those on the margins of society This article presents the findings from three digital divide studies, each of which represents a different group of marginalized society members. Low-income families, sexual minorities and African-American women are represented in the three studies that employ different research approaches towards a common aim of contextualizing internet use in the everyday social practice of society's `have-nots'. The aim is to step outside simple digital divide categories to understand how marginalized members of society incorporate computers and the internet into their daily lives in ways that are meaningful to them. An important goal is also to learn about how internet researchers can contribute to closing the digital divide in ways that converge with the goals, meanings and practices of people living on society's margins. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR; Copyright of New Media & Society is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)
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