Digital Transformation and the Reconstruction of Social Space in Madagascar

Abstract

Digital transformation is changing the ways in which information, services, economic transactions, and social relations are organised in Madagascar, but these changes are occurring within pronounced spatial and socioeconomic inequalities. This structured narrative review examines how digital infrastructure and digital practices are associated with the reconstruction of social space in Madagascar, with particular attention to urban-rural differences, device and internet access, mobile-network expansion, education, employment, health, civic participation, and everyday social interaction. Peer-reviewed literature was integrated with primary statistical and policy sources from the Institut National de la Statistique, UNICEF, the Autorité de Régulation des Technologies de Communication, the World Bank, the Ministry of Public Health, and other authoritative institutions. The evidence shows rapid growth in mobile connectivity alongside persistent inequalities in material access and effective use. National survey data indicate marked differences in internet access by residence, while household possession of mobile telephones varies substantially by location, education, and employment characteristics. Telecommunications-regulator reports show a sharp rise in mobile-internet subscriptions and data traffic, but subscription-based indicators cannot be interpreted as counts of unique users. These patterns are consistent with a socio-spatial reading that combines Castells' network perspective, Lefebvre's production of space, and van Dijk's emphasis on unequal material and skills-related access. Digital technologies therefore expand the range of spaces through which social and economic activity can occur without eliminating the importance of place, infrastructure, income, education, and institutional capacity. The review concludes that Madagascar's digital transformation is best understood as an uneven process of spatial extension and reorganisation rather than as a uniform transition to an integrated digital society.