Digital Divide and territorial inequality: an inevitable dualism in island contexts?

Giulia Desogus;Chiara Garau

2022-01-01

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Abstract

The strategic importance of digital equity is defined in this research from the structural and socioeconomic perspectives of islands. In particular, the paper proposes preliminary guidelines on critical assessment of the link between territorial vulnerability and digital development opportunities. To achieve this, this paper explores the relationships between digital and territorial development in an island system through the study of both an Island Territorial Development Indicator (ISTI) and an Island Digital Development Indicator (ISDI). This was tested on the Sardinia Island, for the 2010-2020 decade, corresponding to the first European Digital Agenda. Interpretation of these two indicators demonstrates how, during this decade (2010- 2020), digital development has failed to alleviate territorial development imbalances in island contexts.