Amir H. Payberah - 2025-03-01

In the ninth session of the Co-Liberative Computing book club, we discussed The Promise of Access by Daniel Greene. The book critiques the "access doctrine": the belief that poverty exists due to a lack of technology or digital skills rather than systemic inequalities. Through research in Washington, DC, Greene shows how schools, libraries, and government programs promote digital access, not because it works, but to stay afloat amid budget cuts. He traces how this ideology took root in the 1990s when policymakers framed internet access as a path to economic success, shifting responsibility from structural reform to individual effort. While tech companies and politicians benefited, inequality persisted.

Today, this mindset shapes institutions: charter schools prioritize test scores over holistic education, libraries become digital training hubs, and cities adopt a startup mindset, often at the expense of marginalized communities. Public services operate like businesses, reinforcing rather than reducing inequality. So, what is the alternative? Greene argues that real change requires moving beyond digital access, rethinking success, and addressing inequality at its roots. Schools and libraries do not need to act like startups; they need to be spaces of care, resistance, and real opportunity.

You can find a summary of the book here.