From Information Society to Global Village of Wisdom? The Role of ICT in Realizing Social Justice in the Developing World

Abstract

This chapter is about the role of ICT in global justice. It will analyze, firstly, the epistemological relationship between new information, knowledge and wisdom. Secondly, it examines the ethical relationship between information technology and the values and ideals that are attached to its use and applications. Thirdly, the chapter studies theoretical and practical obstacles that have prevented the developing countries, particularly in Africa, from fully benefiting from the enormous possibilities provided by the new ICT in relation to realizing human capabilities, well-being and better standards of living and social justice. The analysis applies Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s capability approach to the distribution and use of the ICT in global context. Finally the chapter examines how global and the local inequality is maintained by the international information and technology markets, and how the distorted international markets as well as misguided local policies tend to create further division between ‘information rich’ and ‘information poor’.