DIGITAL MARGINALITY AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN URBAN PERIPHERIES: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ACCESS, POWER, AND EXCLUSION IN QUETTA

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed access to information, services, and opportunities; however, these benefits are unevenly distributed, particularly in peripheral urban contexts such as Quetta. The core problem addressed in this study is the persistence of digital marginality, where unequal access to digital infrastructure, skills, and decision-making power reinforces existing social and economic inequalities. The purpose of this research is to examine how digital access—or the lack thereof—shapes power relations, social mobility, and social inclusion among different socio-economic groups in Quetta. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study draws on in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions conducted with students, women, low-income workers, and local stakeholders. The findings reveal that digital inequality in Quetta is not merely a question of connectivity but is deeply embedded in class, gender, education, and spatial divides, leading to unequal access to employment, education, public services, and civic participation. The study concludes that without targeted and inclusive digital policies, digitalization risks reproducing and deepening existing urban inequalities rather than reducing them. The paper recommends context-sensitive interventions focusing on digital literacy, affordable access, and inclusive governance to address digital marginality in Quetta.