Digital Divide, Citizenship and Inclusion in Amsterdam

The Digital Divide is commonly associated with those parts of the world where access to Internet and Web is poor or lacking. However, even in places such as the city of Amsterdam, where Internet infrastructure and access are commonplace, a Digital Divide exists. A significant part of the population (1 out of 5) is currently de facto excluded, for a variety of reasons including poverty, low literacy, lack of digital skills, problems with speaking and reading the official language (Amsterdam, a city of under 1 million, hosts 180 different nationalities), and homelessness. This book is based on several community-oriented Participatory Action Research projects by Information Science master students and staff at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It considers in depth the Digital Divide in an advanced metropolitan context and, even more importantly, lays out practical ways and solutions showing what can be done against digital inequalities and social exclusion in society -- one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).