ABSTRACT
Digital devices and resources have become crucial to sustainable social, political, economic, and cultural participation. India being a culturally pluralistic society observes the unequal distribution of digital resources followed by the social disparity that exists within Indian society. The case of the Santhal community represents the phenomenon of digital inequality in ethnic minority groups. The digital presence and participation of the Santhal community help in keeping a sustainable cultural identity and aid the intercultural exchange. This chapter discusses the digital experience of the Santhal community and examines the manifestation of digital identity articulated with the cause of digital inequality among Santhals. The paradigm of cultural discourse studies (CDS) is used to inquire about the digital experience of the Santhals. The framework of SIMPHC (Subject-Intent-Medium-Purpose-History-Culture) in studying CDS has been adapted to look into tribal digital discourse. Using a cultural approach, primary data and secondary data explore the status of digital inequality and cultural tangents of digital inequality that are specific among most of the tribal groups in India. The primary data was collected through semi- structured interviews with Santhals from West Bengal (a state in India). The findings explore digital resources that provide a vast platform and opportunity for the marginalized Santhal community to be voiced in a multicultural society, whereas the poor digital attitude, knowledge, and skill deescalate the marginalized community. Three levels of digital inequality influence the digital engagement of the Santhal community. The study suggests tribal digital discourse (TDD) is a tool of discourse that could be used to study the digital realm of human communication, for example, identity over digital platforms. TDD has been considered here under the umbrella of CDS. The findings also suggest that digital inequality reinforces the real-life cultural hegemony in digital spaces.
