The end of social exclusion? On information technology policy as a key to social inclusion in large European cities

Social exclusion of parts of the urban population has come to be seen as one of the key roots of many contemporary urban problems. Currently, a new optimism can be observed about the possibilities of fighting social exclusion, mainly based on the seemingly endless possibilities of information and communications technology (ICT). ICT is believed to contribute to economic, social and political dimensions of inclusion. Closer inspection leads to the conclusion that policy makers' expectations of ICT as a solution for social exclusion need downsizing but, under some conditions, in the longer run ICT can support social inclusion policy. The degree to which the new opportunities of ICT can be capitalized on depends to a large extent on the capacity of urban management to influence the population's uptake and application of ICT, and the alignment with other social inclusion policies.