Bourdieusian e-capital perspective enhancing digital capital discussion in the realm of third level digital divide

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to create a research framework to scrutinize how individuals' digital technology use produces tangible and intangible outcomes in online (digital) and offline realms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies the Bourdieusian e-capital perspective to create a theory-based framework. The framework was used to guide a survey design to explore women's “social media-assisted reuse” at the micro-scale in Helsinki, Finland.FindingsThe paper argues that a new form of capital emerges when individuals utilize digital technologies in correspondence to their goals to gain added value that would be impossible or significantly more arduous to gain without the digital realm. The survey indicates that the respondents utilize the digital space – set objectives and gain capital-related outcomes – in correspondence to their differing social, economic and cultural positions and related resources in- and outside of the digital realm.Practical implicationsIf digital spaces – due to social inequality and underlying power structures – become increasingly stratified, there will be significant impacts on how individuals from differing backgrounds gain accumulated forms of capital through the digital realm. The question is of great importance for battling inequality.Originality/valueThe paper enhances and synthesizes recent discussions on different forms of capital and outcomes of the use of digital technologies and presents a combined “e-capital–digital divide” framework that offers a more complete agenda for investigating the finely nuanced links between the inputs, outputs and outcomes of digital technology use.

Analysis of the Third Digital Divide in Relation to Digital Socialization Itineraries among University Students in Uruguay

“…Thus, since socially stratified digital spaces may lead to reinforced differentiation in capital accumulation, the question is of great importance for battling reinforcement of social inequality". [59] (p. 248)…”

From digital divide to digital capital: the role of education and digital skills in social media participation

“…Our central theoretical thesis is, in line with the works of Park [53], Ragnedda and Ruiu [54], Merisalo and Makkonen [50], that digital capital, namely digital skills combined with other resources, works as a bridge capital that enables one type of capital to transfer/accumulate another. In the context of social media participation, we are looking at the role of digital capital in the interplay of cultural capital and political capital.…”

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Asymetria jako czynnik osłabiający odporność i integrację w zrównoważonym rozwoju polsko-czeskiego pogranicza w kontekście sporu o kopalnię Turów

“…Development is also hampered by non-economic factors: environmental, social and even historical. In addition to the traditional tools of cooperation and integration, authors often point out the need to direct research so that it indicates opportunities for digital solutions to given problems (Łaźniewska et al, 2021;Merisalo & Makkonen, 2022). Asymmetry is expressed as a gap in the socioeconomic development and long term it is related to the development of these regions.…”