An internet for (everyone’s) development
A publication edited by the Feltrinelli Foundation takes stock of access to digital networks and outlines the problems that remain outstanding
You need to be connected in order not to be left behind. That applies to individuals, just as it does to organisations and to businesses. Connections pass through digital networks, as well as through social and economic networks. These subjects are addressed by the essays collected in Dentro e fuori la rete Lavoro, cittadini e welfare alla prova della transizione digitale (Inside and Outside the Internet. Work, Citizens and Welfare Put to the Test by the Digital Transition), which features contributions from several writers and is edited by the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation.
The book starts with an observation: digital access should be viewed as an aspect of democratic development. And, whether you like it or not, rights flow from this point – above all, the opportunity to benefit from them, as well as opportunities for development and growth, dialogue and discussion. The volume is divided into four sections dealing with four general topics. The internet is an access point and is itself a universal right; it is a tool for work and for working, a platform for services aimed at citizens and businesses; lastly, the internet is a vehicle for economic development, especially for particular situations such as those affecting inland areas. Digital networks, in other words, are viewed as inclusive tools and infrastructure, which are now unavoidable but not yet accessible to everyone.
The book touches on all these aspects, delves into the details and sets out the potential evolution and solutions to the difficulties that exist today. And this is precisely the point where – in addition to the analysis of individual aspects – one of the collection’s most notable points of interest emerges. As the conclusion explains: “Fair access to the internet has been identified as a fundamental right and a lever for social, economic and cultural inclusion. However, significant challenges remain, such as the need to ensure adequate infrastructure with high-speed broadband and the reduction of access-related inequalities, in addition to increasing digital skills.” This is then taken further: “The digital transformation of businesses and local areas offers opportunities for economic growth and regional regeneration, but it is crucial to ensure that these processes are sustainable and respect social and environmental goals.” In other words, the possibilities offered by the internet still have some way to go until they can be considered to be for everyone. It is a question of democracy and, even more fundamentally, of culture.
Dentro e fuori la rete Lavoro, cittadini e welfare alla prova della transizione digitale (Inside and Outside the Internet. Work, Citizens and Welfare Put to the Test by the Digital Transition)
VARIOUS AUTHORS.
Scenari, 62, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation, March 2024
A publication edited by the Feltrinelli Foundation takes stock of access to digital networks and outlines the problems that remain outstanding
You need to be connected in order not to be left behind. That applies to individuals, just as it does to organisations and to businesses. Connections pass through digital networks, as well as through social and economic networks. These subjects are addressed by the essays collected in Dentro e fuori la rete Lavoro, cittadini e welfare alla prova della transizione digitale (Inside and Outside the Internet. Work, Citizens and Welfare Put to the Test by the Digital Transition), which features contributions from several writers and is edited by the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation.
The book starts with an observation: digital access should be viewed as an aspect of democratic development. And, whether you like it or not, rights flow from this point – above all, the opportunity to benefit from them, as well as opportunities for development and growth, dialogue and discussion. The volume is divided into four sections dealing with four general topics. The internet is an access point and is itself a universal right; it is a tool for work and for working, a platform for services aimed at citizens and businesses; lastly, the internet is a vehicle for economic development, especially for particular situations such as those affecting inland areas. Digital networks, in other words, are viewed as inclusive tools and infrastructure, which are now unavoidable but not yet accessible to everyone.
The book touches on all these aspects, delves into the details and sets out the potential evolution and solutions to the difficulties that exist today. And this is precisely the point where – in addition to the analysis of individual aspects – one of the collection’s most notable points of interest emerges. As the conclusion explains: “Fair access to the internet has been identified as a fundamental right and a lever for social, economic and cultural inclusion. However, significant challenges remain, such as the need to ensure adequate infrastructure with high-speed broadband and the reduction of access-related inequalities, in addition to increasing digital skills.” This is then taken further: “The digital transformation of businesses and local areas offers opportunities for economic growth and regional regeneration, but it is crucial to ensure that these processes are sustainable and respect social and environmental goals.” In other words, the possibilities offered by the internet still have some way to go until they can be considered to be for everyone. It is a question of democracy and, even more fundamentally, of culture.
Dentro e fuori la rete Lavoro, cittadini e welfare alla prova della transizione digitale (Inside and Outside the Internet. Work, Citizens and Welfare Put to the Test by the Digital Transition)
VARIOUS AUTHORS.
Scenari, 62, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation, March 2024