Digital Dependency and Political Economy in Developing Countries: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61166/interdisiplin.v2i5.127Keywords:
Political Economy, Digital Dependency, AI Divide, Data Sovereignty, Developing Countries.Abstract
This paper investigates the intersection of political economy and digital dependency in developing country, highlighting how reliance on external digital infrastructure platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and shape sovereignty, development and inequality. Drawing on secondary data from World Bank, IMF, UNCTAD, ILO, and peer-reviewed literature, the study applied dependency theory and digital colonialism framework to evaluate challenges and opportunities in digital economy. findings included that while digital technology foster growth and innovation they also deepen vulnerabilities to external shocks and reinforce structural inequalities. policy recommendation emphasize strengthening domestic digital infrastructure, ensure data sovereignty, and fostering inclusive AI adoption.
References
Acharya, S. (2018). Does deeper economic integration of SAARC be possible? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3284321
Ahmad, I., Farooq, F., & Ahmad, T. I. (2018). Governance and sustainable development in South Asian countries. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 38(2), 331–345.
Azmeh, S., & Foster, C. (2021). Digital trade and global inequality. Global Policy, 12(1), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12852
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brevini, B., Hintz, A., & Treré, E. (2024). Dialogues in data power. Bristol University Press.
Cambridge University Press. (2025). Digital sovereignty in the BRICS countries. Cambridge University Press.
Cardoso, F. H., & Faletto, E. (1979). Dependency and development in Latin America. University of California Press.
Couldry, N., & Mejias, U. A. (2019). The costs of connection: How data is colonizing human life and appropriating it for capitalism. Stanford University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
DevelopmentAid. (2025). AI skills gap in low-income countries. Retrieved from https://www.developmentaid.org
Dos Santos, T. (1970). The structure of dependence. American Economic Review, 60(2), 231–236.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & World Bank. (2023). World development indicators: Digital access and infrastructure. World Bank.
Mejias, U. A., & Couldry, N. (2024). Data grab: The new colonialism of big tech and how to fight back. Penguin.
Mohamed, S., Png, M. T., & Isaac, W. (2020). Decolonial AI: Decolonial theory as sociotechnical foresight in artificial intelligence. Philosophy & Technology, 33(4), 659–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-020-00405-8
Mollema, W. J. T. (2024). Decolonial AI as disenclosure. arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.13050. https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.13050
Nugroho, Y. (2025). The mirage of tech sovereignty in Southeast Asia. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2025). AI adoption statistics: Global innovation divide. OECD Digital Economy Papers.
Pohle, J., & Thiel, T. (2020). Digital sovereignty. Internet Policy Review, 9(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.14763/2020.4.1532
Reuters. (2024). Developing countries spend $1.4 trillion on debt servicing. Reuters News Service.
Srnicek, N. (2017). Platform capitalism. Polity Press.
The Diplomat. (2025). Southeast Asia’s digital dependency and data governance. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2023). Digital economy report. Geneva: UNCTAD.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2025). AI and the future of work. Geneva: UNCTAD.
Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. PublicAffairs.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 MD. Rafiul Islam; Afia Jahin Jerin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
