Ideal: Digital. Framställningar av digitaliseringen och digitalt utanförskap i styrdokument som berör folkbibliotek
(2019) ABMM54 20191Division of ALM and Digital Cultures
- Abstract
- The aim of our master thesis is to investigate and compare which representations of digital development and digital exclusion are present in policy documents that affects public libraries. By interrogating these representations we intend to explore their origin and possible consequences for society and public libraries, as well as for the individual. As a background, we describe how concepts such as the digital divide, digital literacy, the information society and the knowledge society have been used and discussed. We argue that these concepts are built upon and stem from underlying assumptions that affect the notions of digital development and digital exclusion. Current policy documents at the national political level (from the... (More)
- The aim of our master thesis is to investigate and compare which representations of digital development and digital exclusion are present in policy documents that affects public libraries. By interrogating these representations we intend to explore their origin and possible consequences for society and public libraries, as well as for the individual. As a background, we describe how concepts such as the digital divide, digital literacy, the information society and the knowledge society have been used and discussed. We argue that these concepts are built upon and stem from underlying assumptions that affect the notions of digital development and digital exclusion. Current policy documents at the national political level (from the Government), the national authority level (from the Royal Library) and the municipal political level (from public libraries) are analyzed by using Carol Bacchi's "What the Problem Represented to be?" (WPR) as a method and theoretical framework. WPR is a discourse analytical approach based on foucauldian strategies and concepts such as archeology, genealogy, governmentality and dividing practices. In our analysis, we answer WPR's six questions and make comparisons between the material types.
We conclude that the material is characterized by technological determinism, where digital development is regarded as a driving force for societal development. To maintain legitimacy, libraries must adapt to this development. Digital development is described both as a positive force and a threat. This contradiction is also evident in the presentation of the library as both a defense against the threat of digital development, and a nostalgic stumbling block in relation to digital development. Users are represented as in need of the library for their own wellbeing and prosperity. This results in a displacement of power where the users ends up in a subordinate position in relation to the library. Digital exclusion is represented as a democratic problem and digital literacy as a civic duty. The needs of people with greater technological capital are given the highest priority in the documents. Through stigma and idealization we are all governed towards a digital ideal. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8978559
- author
- Johansen, Charlotte LU and Jonsson, Malin LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- ABMM54 20191
- year
- 2019
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- digital development, digital exclusion, digital divide, WPR, public libraries, policy analysis, technological determinism, digitalt utanförskap, digitala klyftor, folkbibliotek
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 8978559
- date added to LUP
- 2019-08-06 13:00:20
- date last changed
- 2019-08-06 13:00:20
@misc{8978559,
abstract = {{The aim of our master thesis is to investigate and compare which representations of digital development and digital exclusion are present in policy documents that affects public libraries. By interrogating these representations we intend to explore their origin and possible consequences for society and public libraries, as well as for the individual. As a background, we describe how concepts such as the digital divide, digital literacy, the information society and the knowledge society have been used and discussed. We argue that these concepts are built upon and stem from underlying assumptions that affect the notions of digital development and digital exclusion. Current policy documents at the national political level (from the Government), the national authority level (from the Royal Library) and the municipal political level (from public libraries) are analyzed by using Carol Bacchi's "What the Problem Represented to be?" (WPR) as a method and theoretical framework. WPR is a discourse analytical approach based on foucauldian strategies and concepts such as archeology, genealogy, governmentality and dividing practices. In our analysis, we answer WPR's six questions and make comparisons between the material types.
We conclude that the material is characterized by technological determinism, where digital development is regarded as a driving force for societal development. To maintain legitimacy, libraries must adapt to this development. Digital development is described both as a positive force and a threat. This contradiction is also evident in the presentation of the library as both a defense against the threat of digital development, and a nostalgic stumbling block in relation to digital development. Users are represented as in need of the library for their own wellbeing and prosperity. This results in a displacement of power where the users ends up in a subordinate position in relation to the library. Digital exclusion is represented as a democratic problem and digital literacy as a civic duty. The needs of people with greater technological capital are given the highest priority in the documents. Through stigma and idealization we are all governed towards a digital ideal.}},
author = {{Johansen, Charlotte and Jonsson, Malin}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Ideal: Digital. Framställningar av digitaliseringen och digitalt utanförskap i styrdokument som berör folkbibliotek}},
year = {{2019}},
}