Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho

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dc.contributor.advisorNassimbeni, Maryen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorStruthers, Margaret Alynnen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-11-18T17:00:01Z
dc.date.available2014-11-18T17:00:01Z
dc.date.issued2000en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis investigates whether the Internet is reducing or eliminating poverty and whether the Internet is the provider of fast-based information for development. It explores the concept of the information society, the information revolution, and the Internet, to provide a framework for understanding the information society in Africa, and in particular, Lesotho. Increasingly the information revolution, the Internet, is said to be shaping our lives. Globalisation and the new economy are driven by the Internet and social and economic development results from the Internet. The Internet, it is suggested, will enable Africa to "leapfrog" stages of economic and social development. The examples held up to Mrica as models of the use of information and communications technology are the East Asian "Tigers", India's cybertowers and Silicon Valley in California, the United States. These are examined in detail. The question of inclusion and exclusion in the information society is explored and whether the Internet is creating another divide - the digital divide. A historical sequence of meetings, conferences and events that have attempted to include Mrica in the information society is outlined. Statistics of telecommunication and Internet provision in Africa are included. These statistics show that the lack of telecommunications that is the method of accessing the Internet results in the lack of Internet provision in Africa contributing to the growing digital divide. The detailed case study of Lesotho situated in its historical, economic and social context, investigates the extent of telecommunication and Internet development in Lesotho. The conclusions presented are that while the Internet can contribute to some social and economic development it is not reducing or eliminating poverty. This is shown in the case study of Lesotho. This thesis presents evidence of a growing digital divide in society between the information haves and have-nots. Because of the critical role of the Internet in the new economy and globalisation, without the Internet there will be fewer possibilities for social and economic development. Therefore the digital divide is an additional factor contributing to poverty and inequality resulting in greater exclusion for whole groups, countries, and virtually the whole of Africa.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationStruthers, M. A. (2000). <i>Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9698en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationStruthers, Margaret Alynn. <i>"Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC), 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9698en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationStruthers, M. 2000. Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Struthers, Margaret Alynn AB - This thesis investigates whether the Internet is reducing or eliminating poverty and whether the Internet is the provider of fast-based information for development. It explores the concept of the information society, the information revolution, and the Internet, to provide a framework for understanding the information society in Africa, and in particular, Lesotho. Increasingly the information revolution, the Internet, is said to be shaping our lives. Globalisation and the new economy are driven by the Internet and social and economic development results from the Internet. The Internet, it is suggested, will enable Africa to "leapfrog" stages of economic and social development. The examples held up to Mrica as models of the use of information and communications technology are the East Asian "Tigers", India's cybertowers and Silicon Valley in California, the United States. These are examined in detail. The question of inclusion and exclusion in the information society is explored and whether the Internet is creating another divide - the digital divide. A historical sequence of meetings, conferences and events that have attempted to include Mrica in the information society is outlined. Statistics of telecommunication and Internet provision in Africa are included. These statistics show that the lack of telecommunications that is the method of accessing the Internet results in the lack of Internet provision in Africa contributing to the growing digital divide. The detailed case study of Lesotho situated in its historical, economic and social context, investigates the extent of telecommunication and Internet development in Lesotho. The conclusions presented are that while the Internet can contribute to some social and economic development it is not reducing or eliminating poverty. This is shown in the case study of Lesotho. This thesis presents evidence of a growing digital divide in society between the information haves and have-nots. Because of the critical role of the Internet in the new economy and globalisation, without the Internet there will be fewer possibilities for social and economic development. Therefore the digital divide is an additional factor contributing to poverty and inequality resulting in greater exclusion for whole groups, countries, and virtually the whole of Africa. DA - 2000 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2000 T1 - Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho TI - Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9698 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/9698
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationStruthers MA. Overcoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesotho. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Library and Information Studies Centre (LISC), 2000 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9698en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentLibrary and Information Studies Centre (LISC)en_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherLibrary and Information Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleOvercoming the digital divide? : Africa and the information society with special reference to Lesothoen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMBiblen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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