Hierarchical Knowledge Relations and Dynamics in the 'Tower of Babel'

Abstract

Acknowledging that the digital divide is becoming more of a knowledge divide, we invoke an image of the 'Tower of Babel,' evincing a vertical hierarchy of information and relations in which access to the top tiers is highly limited. Depicting the knowledge society itself, which encompasses a highly complex interconnected system of digital networks within which interaction among social actors occur and from which knowledge is created and diffused, we emphasize networks as a central factor determining access and posit the broader notion of then Digital Knowledge Network Divide (DKND) to better understand related structures and dynamics. In the face of concerns over democratizing trends and, more, general calls for expanding the science and technology workforce and increasing scientific literacy, access to knowledge is critical. Accordingly, an important challenge for the years to come will be to characterize the evolving and unique landscape of the knowledge society in order to inform and design effective policies and programs. Related research will require the development of measures and tools that capture the hierarchical relations and dynamics of the DKND and that, ultimately, will allow for the assessment of related spatio-temporal disparities and the determination of indicators of network connectivity to measure changes in overall access and participation in the knowledge society.

Keywords: digital knowledge divide, hierarchical knowledge relations,Tower of Babel