Diverse digital worlds | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Bart Barendregt

Year of publication: 2020

Keywords: Information society, Digital revolution, Modern myths, Global digital practices, Mobile internet access, Global South, Orthodox modernity, Digital inequality

Methodology/Sample: _/_

Reference: Barendregt, B. (2020). Diverse Digital Worlds. In H.A. Horst, D. Miller (Eds.), Digital Anthropology (pp. 203–224). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003085201-14

Abstract

This chapter focuses on how the idea and ideal of the information society and other modern myths, such as that of the digital revolution, have impacted digital practices around the world and how this sheer diversity will feed back into one of the main narratives of our time. R. Hassan recounts how the ideal of an informational society that is cheap, efficient and clean ignores the hidden costs elsewhere. Today, a majority of people worldwide, with most users situated in the poor South, access the Internet and other electronic information not through a personal computer but through their cell phones. Indonesia has seen a considerable growth in its wealthy middle class and—contra many secularization theorists—this middle class increasingly prefers a modern, but otherwise very orthodox, lifestyle.

> Summary

The paper discusses the impact of digital technology on cultural and ecological diversity, highlighting hidden costs of the digital transition.
It examines how Indonesian ICT use reflects both modernization of Islam and the adaptation of technology to Islamic practices.
The research illustrates the social implications of technology, including the emergence of unique practices like the ‘cannibal phone’.
It emphasizes the need for regularization by Southeast Asian governments to engage citizens in the digital era.

> Problem statement

The paper discusses the threat to ecological and cultural diversity in the digital age, highlighting hidden costs of technology.
It emphasizes that digital technology fails to mitigate the loss of cultural practices and languages.
The impact of algorithms on cultural diversity raises concerns about linguistic imperialism and the marginalization of non-English languages.
The paper critiques how technology perpetuates power imbalances and privileges certain groups while marginalizing others.

> Methods used

Not addressed in the paper.

> Practical implications

The paper highlights the need for understanding diverse digital practices among Indonesian Muslims, emphasizing local adaptations to technology.
It discusses the role of technology in maintaining cultural identity and addressing radicalization among Muslim youth.
The research illustrates how marginalized communities can leverage technology to challenge dominant narratives and power structures.
It underscores the environmental and social costs of digital transitions, urging critical perspectives on technology’s impact.
The findings suggest that technology can be both a tool for empowerment and a source of cultural tension.