Guest Editors: • Sébastien BOURDIN, IÉSEG School of Management, Lille, France • Bogdan-Constantin IBANESCU, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania • Arsène PERROT, Gran Sasso Science Institute, L’Aquila, Italy

The rapid ongoing digital transition is reshaping economies, public services and everyday life. Yet, although it has provided new development opportunities, it has also intensified digital divides and pre-existing spatial and socio-economic inequalities, influencing well- being in uneven and sometimes harmful ways. These divides are not uniform, varying across geographic contexts (from metropolitan regions to peripheral rural areas), demographic and socio-economic groups, producing distinct spatial and =social splits with long-term consequences (van Dijk, 2020). Understanding the digital divide today becomes highly relevant, as digital tools are increasingly entrenched in essential everyday domains such as healthcare, education, welfare administration, labour market policies, and civic participation.  It follows that different access and capabilities can translate into different life chances, and into unequal exposure to stress, exclusion, and ultimately reduced wellbeing. Digital divides thus intersect with other forms of vulnerability and territorial disadvantages, with potential feedback effects on social cohesion, trust in institutions, and perceived territorial justice. This Special Issue invites contributions that advance spatially aware and societally grounded perspectives on the connections between digitalisation and wellbeing. We seek papers that go beyond broad national-level narratives to examine how digital inequalities are experienced at local and regional scales, how they intersect with social vulnerabilities, and how communities and institutions respond. We especially welcome studies that consider the multi-scalar nature of these processes, from neighbourhoods and cities to regions and cross- border areas, and that explore how digital infrastructures, skills and uses translate into concrete wellbeing outcomes for different groups and places. Topics of interest (non-exhaustive) We welcome empirical papers, conceptual and methodological contributions, comparative studies, and practice-oriented case studies. Interdisciplinary work is strongly encouraged, particularly contributions bridging geography, economics, public policy, psychology, sociology, and information technology. Submissions that integrate qualitative and quantitative evidence, or that combine subjective indicators of wellbeing with objective territorial or socio-economic data, are particularly encouraged. Topics include, but are not limited to: • Digital inequalities at local and regional level • Spatial, social, and economic manifestations of digital inequalities • The role of digital helpers, digital mentors, and related support roles in bridging the gap • Public policies and empirical studies aimed at reducing digital inequalities • Technological and “smart” strategies and their impacts on wellbeing (including digital stress, autonomy, exclusion, trust, and resilience) • Tested solutions and empirical-based solutions • Territorial governance, multi-level policy coordination, and place- based strategies that address the digital divide • Conceptual or empirical contributions that link digitalisation, wellbeing, and broader transitions (for instance green and digital transitions, demographic change, or post-pandemic transformations) • Methodological innovations for the measurement of digital inequality and digital wellbeing at fine spatial scales (for example neighbourhoods, functional regions, or city–region systems) Submission guidelines • Deadline for full paper submission: 30 April 2026. Early submissions are welcome. • How to submit: Send manuscripts by e-mail to s.bourdin@ieseg.fr, with the subject line: SI_Bridging the digital divide. • Author guidelines: Submissions must follow the journal’s author instructions. All submissions will undergo a standard double-blind peer review process. Acceptance is conditional on strict compliance with formatting and referencing requirements. • Indicative online publication: September 2026.