Professor Yves Winkin, a communication anthropologist, offers a cultural approach to the digital divide. For this Belgian professor who teaches at several European universities, the digital divide can cause populations to turn in on themselves. Interview.

Would you say that the digital divide can lead to cultural imperialism by economically dominant States?

Yes, quite certainly, and much more quickly than we imagine; you only have to think of the perverse effect of the domination of the English language, or rather of the pidgin based on English that all the populations of the world now have to use to express themselves, and perhaps even to think…

A fair representation of cultures in the construction of a global society is thus clearly essential. And that is where the work of UNESCO on behalf of cultural diversity plays a crucial role.

What might be the consequences of such a situation?

In the short term, the digital divide threatens to cause populations to turn in on themselves, with all the economic, social and political isolation such a movement may imply. In the longer term, such isolation will give rise to a further divide within these populations, between a minority that can afford to move away and a majority whose main concern is survival.

Is it possible to say people who cannot express themselves in the global public forum are deprived of existence?

Indeed, there is a real danger of that. But expression in the global public forum can happen by way of other supports that digital – artistic expression, for example. The Australian aborigines didn’t need the Internet to have an international existence.

How can we ensure a society of knowledge based on sharing and cooperation?

Without doubt through an alliance between initiatives on an international scale and initiatives on a local scale, both public and private. Let me give you an example: the magazine Planète Jeunes, which addresses adolescents, mainly in French-speaking Africa, has promoted the creation of Planet clubs that take initiatives on the local level in respect of health education, ecology, road safety and so on. At this time there exist more than a hundred such clubs in countries such as Mali, Burkina or Côte d’Ivoire. They do a fantastic job, without using four-wheel drives!

Is it possible to speak of a society of knowledge when only 20% of the world population has access to ICT?

Yes, if you want to be cynical, it is possible: we know that knowledge is power. So you can speak of a society of knowledge to mean a society of power. The power to dominate the rest of the world by way of economic and technical control of ICT…

Yves Winkin is a professor in the faculty of Social Sciences and Letters at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (Lyon), where he teaches communication anthropology. He recently authored Comment l’informatique vient aux enfants ? Pour une approche anthropologique des usage de l'ordinateur à l'école with Eric Barchechath and Rossella Magli, (Ed des Archives Contemporaines, Paris). He is also the author of La Nouvelle Communication and Anthropologie de la communication. (Ed. du Seuil, Paris)