From the Light to the Dark: Blackouts in the Pre-Connection Era
Giacomo Buoncompagni
Journal of Digital Information Management, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6025/jdim/2026/24/1/11-39
Link: https://www.dline.info/fpaper/jdim/v24i1/jdimv24i1_2.pdf
Abstract:
This paper examines blackouts as socio technical environmental phenomena, using a desk based research
approach to explore case studies from Spain, Cuba, and India. The investigation integrates three primary
dimensions: socio environmental vulnerability, socio economic structures, and communicative dynamics.
Findings indicate that Spain demonstrates technological and institutional resilience, while Cuba exhibits
social resilience rooted in community capital; conversely, India displays systemic vulnerability exacerbated
by regional inequalities. Furthermore, the study discusses the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
the prediction, management, and mitigation of power outages, highlighting the significance of multi level
systems that integrate technology, governance, and community engagement. The conclusions emphasize
that future resilience necessitates equitable, adaptive, and socially aware approaches capable of addressing
the impacts of blackouts within climatically and socially complex contexts.