Digital Divide: Catch up for What?

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become a mantra for economic development at the global and local levels. The hopes concern the potential of ICT to solve economic and social problems such as inadequate resources, unemployment, centraliza-tion, marginalization of women, and social inequalities. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the digital divide will be a significant feature of political dialogue in the near future, especially because of the uneven spread of the benefits of ICTs. This article deals with ICT discourses and practices in the areas of encounter between rich and poor cquntries. The digital divide, which may consist of divides between individu-als, groups of women and men, and between nations, is now frequently cited as a pivotal factor in the growing economic divide. This leads us to wonder—who is catching up and for what