Linking Social Deprivation and Digital Exclusion in England

Paul A. Longley and Alexander D. Singleton
Additional contact information
Paul A. Longley: Department of Geography, and Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, Pearson Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK, plongley@geog.ucl.ac.uk
Alexander D. Singleton: Department of Geography, and Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, Pearson Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK, a.singleton@ucl.ac.uk

Urban Studies, 2009, vol. 46, issue 7, 1275-1298

Abstract: This paper develops a cross-classification of material deprivation and lack of digital engagement, at a far more spatially disaggregated level than has previously been attempted in the UK. This is achieved by matching the 2004 Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) with a unique nation-wide geodemographic classification of ICT usage, aggregated to unit postcodes. The results of the cross-classification suggest that lack of digital engagement and material deprivation are linked, with high levels of material deprivation generally associated with low levels of engagement with ICTs and vice versa. However, some neighbourhoods are `digitally unengaged' but not materially deprived and the paper investigates the extent to which this outcome may be linked to factors such as lack of confidence, skills or motivation. As with material deprivation, there are distinctive regional and local geographies of digital unengagement and these have important implications for digital policy implementation.

Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0042098009104566 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:46:y:2009:i:7:p:1275-1298

DOI: 10.1177/0042098009104566

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Urban Studies from Urban Studies Journal Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().