Technology and social participation in the process of production and consumption of cultural goods: new opportunities offered by digital literacy practices mediated by the Internet

摘要

The present paper focuses on the limits socio-structurally imposed to exclude the social participation of economically disadvantaged groups in different spheres of cultural production and consumption. The paper argues that, although not guaranteeing new modes of participation, the Internet offers new virtual spaces that broaden the access to diversified ways of social circulation and participation in digital literacy practices, including those hegemonic in nature. To illustrate some of these major issues the study focuses on the data of an interview given by a young leader from a peripheral community located on the outskirts of the city of Campinas, São Paulo. The statements and arguments presented by the interviewee lead us to reflect on the process of democratization of knowledge production and consumption, in general, and about ICT appropriation by peripheral communities, in particular.