Social Inclusion in a Hyperconnected World

Early ‘digital divide’ research focused on inequalities between those who had access to information technologies (IT) and those who did not. This research reflected the view that IT was creating a parallel reality, which people needed to connect to, or risk being left behind. Fast forward to 2013 and a ‘hyperconnected’ world has emerged, characterized by immediate access to information, institutions, and people. The central place of IT in this open, digital world creates a need to investigate the part IT plays in determining the extent to which people can participate in a hyperconnected society. To that end, this panel considers how information systems (IS) research can help reframe digital divide research to address broader issues related to social inclusion. The panel includes reflection on whether investigating the implications of hyperconnectivity for social inclusion requires IS researchers to expand their conceptualizations of ‘legitimate’ IS research questions, theories, and methods.