Research projects
	Digital divide, social inclusion and exclusion - research projects for the Federal Science Policy Office (2008-2010) and the Federal Ministry for Social Integration (2007-2010)

(DD)² - The second order digital divide: a research project for the programme "Society and future" of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (2008-2010)

The project aims at understanding the scientific scope, empirical foundations and societal issues of the “second order digital divide”, which concerns growing inequalities among ICT users as fast as the access gap is narrowing. The concept of second order digital divide is rather new in the agenda of social research about the Internet and its policy implications need an in-depth investigation, targeted to the Belgian context.

The overall goal is to anticipate future trends in the social differentiation of Internet usages, the associated risks of social inequalities and associated opportunities for improved social inclusion. The project reviews hypotheses and research questions in this emerging research area, targeting them to the European context and the Belgian situation. Original empirical material is collected through qualitative interviews, while existing survey results are assessed from the angle of the second order divide. The prospective analysis outlines future trends, leading to widening or narrowing the second order digital divide. Conclusions and policy recommendations rely on these analyses. The project looks beyond the current policies aiming at bridging the first order digital divide (unequal access) and explores issues and solutions related to the next steps in the diffusion of Internet (differentiated use).

Dowlodable summary in English (13 pp.): click here

Downloadable final report (in French only):
Périne Brotcorne, Lotte Damhuis, Véronique Laurent, Gérard Valenduc, Patricia Vendramin
Diversité et vulnérabilité dans les usages des TIC. La fracture numérique au second degré.
Academia Press, Bruxelles / Gent, 2010. ISBN 978 90 382 1698 0
Downloadable from the web site of the Federal Science Policy Office (PDF, 1.4 Mo)

Acting against the digital divide and building up digital skills: a study for the Federal Ministry for Social Integration (2007-2008)

This study is carried out within the framework of the national action plan against the digital divide. It focuses on the construction process of digital skills, referring to the second order digital divide, i.e. social inequalities resulting from differentiated use of internet services, once the access barrier is over. The study is carried outin close cooperation with field workers in the areas of e-inclusion policies. Three workshops (everyone splitted FR/NL) were organised between February and May 2008:ICT training, beyond first steps of access and awareness; public digital spaces as learning spaces; online services and users' skills.

Final report: Brotcorne P., Valenduc G., Construction des compétences numériques et réduction des inégalités, SPP Intégration sociale, Brussels, July 2008 (88 pages).

• French version (PDF, 385 ko)
• Dutch version (PDF, 385 ko)
  

Digital inequalities among off-line youth: a study for the Federal Ministry for Social Integration (2009)

About 12% of young people between 16 and 24 years do not use the Internet regularly, as their access to the Internet at home, at work or in their training institution do not allow them for autonomous and efficient usage. Although they represent only a small minority within their generation, those young people are more exposed to risks of marginalisation or exclusion. The study aims at indentifying who are the off-line young people, why they are off-line and which are the consequences for them.

Final report: Brotcorne P., Mertens L., Valenduc G., Les jeunes off-line et la fracture numérique, SPP fédéral Intégration sociale, Bruxelles, octobre 2009 (90 pp.)

• French version (PDF, 470 ko)
• Dutch version (PDF, 480 ko)

Article in English: Mertens L., Brotcorne P., Valenduc G., Offline Youth and the Digital Divide: Revisiting the Concept of "Digital Natives", in Engelen J., Dekelver J., Van den Bosch W., Social Media for Social Inclusion of Youth at Risk, Proceedings of the INCLUSO 2010 Conference, KULeuven, Sept. 2010, pp. 73-80.

Selected publications (in French only)

	Périne Brotcorne, Lotte Damhuis, Véronique Laurent, Gérard Valenduc, Patricia Vendramin Diversité et vulnérabilité dans les usages des TIC. La fracture numérique au second degré. Academia Press, Bruxelles / Gent, 2010, ISBN 978 90 382 1698 0 To be ordered on the web site of Academia Press, 12€ Also downloadable from the web site of the Federal Science Policy Office (PDF, 1.4 Mo)
	Patricia Vendramin, Gérard Valenduc Fractures numériques, inégalités sociales et processus d'appropriation des innovations Dans Terminal, n° 95-96, printemps 2006 L'Harmattan, Paris. This article draws an overview of a range of digital inequalities in the Belgian and European societies. Various theoretical interpretations of the concept of digital divide are reviewed, in the perspective of a dynamic process of diffusion and appropriation of innovations in society.
	Périne Brotcorne, Gérard Valenduc, Patricia Vendramin L'accessibilité des TIC pour les personnes handicapées dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 56 (décembre 2008). Téléchargeable Les espaces publics numériques, un outil d'intégration sociale dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 55 (septembre 2008). Téléchargeable Gérard Valenduc, Patricia Vendramin Technologie et pauvreté dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 54 (juin 2008). Téléchargeable. Les inégalités numériques en Wallonie dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 51 (septembre 2007). Téléchargeable. Femmes et internet: la fracture commence à se réduire dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 50 (juin 2007). Téléchargeable. La dimension européenne de la lutte contre la fracture numérique dans la Lettre EMERIT n° 46 (juin 2006). Téléchargeable. La technologie à travers les âges numéro spécial de la Lettre EMERIT, n°45 (mars 2006) Téléchargeable. De la fracture numérique à l'inclusion sociale numéro spécial de la Lettre EMERIT, n°39 (juin 2004) Téléchargeable
	Patricia Vendramin, Gérard Valenduc Internet et inégalités Une radiographie de la fracture numérique Editions Labor, collection Quartier libre, Bruxelles, 2003 One of the first publications on the digital divide in French-speaking Belgium - and still a reference. Only available in French by online ordering.

Participation in networks for digital inclusion in Belgium

The Work & Technology Research Centre of FTU takes an active part in the yearly REWICS (Walloon convention of Internet for citizenship and solidarity) and in the activities of the Internet festival. It is also involved in several working groups on the digital divide and e-inclusion which are set up by various institutions: the Walloon network of public digital spaces; the King Baudouin Foundation; the Social Movement of Seniors (UCP); the Rural Foundation of Wallonia.