Digital policy narratives: addressing grand challenges or exacerbating digital inequalities?

Zamani, Efpraxia; Sara, Vannini

Abstract

Like many countries, the UK has been exploring digital technologies to address grand challenges, such as unemployment and climate change. In this paper, we study UK policy-generated narratives of the past 10 years to explore the role of said inequalities within the UK policy rhetoric on the benefits of digital technologies. We combine topic modelling and qualitative analysis to analyse 227 policy documents. Our findings indicate that policy frames digital technologies as able to support efficiencies and innovation. Policy also proposes that regional initiatives are needed to incentivise businesses, through funding, and to support citizens, primarily through digital skills training. We argue that, in this discourse, digital technologies are framed as the panacea for addressing challenges, without sufficiently recognising that techno-centric solutions, considering digital inequalities, can instead exacerbate existing divides. In this respect, our study contributes by showcasing the need for policy framing being aligned and consistent with the prioritisation of digital inequalities for constructive digital transformations.

Citation

Zamani, E., & Sara, V. (online). Digital policy narratives: addressing grand challenges or exacerbating digital inequalities?. Information Technology for Development, https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2025.2525348

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 23, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jul 1, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 24, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 2, 2025
• Journal: Information Technology for Development
• Print ISSN: 0268-1102
• Electronic ISSN: 1554-0170
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2025.2525348
• Keywords: digital inequalities; digital transformation; public sector; United Kingdom; digitalisation 1
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4116698
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/titd20