What is it about?
The double bind, which is posited in social psychology arises when contradictory messages are communicated, leading to an impossible situation for the receiver. This phenomenon can be regarded as inevitable despite the possibility of change if the relational patterns were altered. The authors claim that digital double bind can act as an analytical tool to evaluate the fundamental elements of the technological paradigm and organisational structure of the network society. To do this, it is crucial to acknowledge that the Global North is simply one operational model among several others. Through comprehensive examinations of technology and transformation in the Middle East and the Global South, and by potentially facilitating the development of techno-cultural geographies of the Global North, it can unearth more and bring out different/alternative faces of the digital paradox.
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Why is it important?
The book is useful to public administration academics and professionals since it successfully analyses not only how digital double bind is confirmed or challenged but also what makes it a defining feature of the digital age in the Middle East through a socio-political and historical lens.
Perspectives
The basic assertion of the book is that information and communication technologies (ICT) are instrumental in developing global network communities, which are often associated with technologically advanced nations in the West. These communities significantly impact the world’s political, economic, and social landscape. Despite the widespread adoption of digital technology, the Middle East has yet to create a cohesive and effective network community, largely due to social relations, cultural norms and governance systems that have hindered their ability to connect and kept them entrenched in traditional ways. In this case, accurately predicting the Middle East’s digital transformation can be challenging. This region's lack of consistency and linear, systematic progression is a complex and multi-layered process fraught with conflicts and contradictions. Therefore, the reliance on normative criteria and Western paradigms is not feasible. Traditional approaches also run the risk of oversimplifying the digital world or imposing Western ideals onto the Middle East.
Dilek DEDE
Istanbul Universitesi
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Book Review, Information Polity, August 2024, IOS Press,
DOI: 10.3233/ip-249006.
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