A survey on infrastructural exclusions in new established cities of Iran (Case of ICT Diffusion in Golbahar & Binalood)

A survey on infrastructural exclusions in new established cities of Iran (Case of ICT Diffusion in Golbahar & Binalood)

In our country, as in the most countries around the world, the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) are mainly used by young, educated, well paid and urban consumers. Elderly, low-educated, low-paid and marginalized residents(who also known as marginal in this paper) are among those who use the ICT, especially Internet the least. This is the reason that in todayʹs post-modern network society and globalized world they are at the risk of social exclusion. This paper is aimed at the analysis of ICT diffusion in new established communities of Iran, exploring the main social patterns of diffusion and characteristics of new established communities Internet users. The study is based on focus group discussions and ٣٠٠ questionnaire-based survey of residents in selected new cities Golbahar and Binalood in north-east of Iran. The paper discusses types of change agents involved in the processes of ICT diffusion in new established communities and the main motives for using the communication technologies. It also explores the impact of ICT on ways of private communication and communication with relevant public authorities, discusses both positive and negative attitudes to ICT use in everyday life activities