Conceptions of 'Information Poverty' in LIS: An Analysis of Discourses

Abstract

Notions of 'information poverty' and the "information poor" in LIS are examined from a discourse analytical perspective. Foucault's understanding of discourse, as forming the social reality to which it refers, is outlined and the related concept of the statement, as the basic element of discourse, is introduced. 'Information poverty' is examined as a statement in its relation to other statements in order to highlight assumptions and factors contributing to its construction. The analysis is based on close reading of 35 articles published in LIS journals between 1995 and 2005. Four groups of especially productive discursive procedures and themes are identified and discussed: 1. economic determin­ism, 2. technological determinism and the 'information society', 3. historicising the 'in­ formation poor', 4. the library profession's moral obligation and responsibility.