The interpretive and ideal-type approach: Rethinking digital non-use(s) in a Weberian perspective

Abstract

The literature on digital divides has shifted from a technical focus on technology access in the early 1990s to include different levels of literacy and skills (Blank & Groselj, 2015; Castells, 2001; Hargittai, 2007). These different skills comprise the ability to effectively use digital technologies, reap benefits, and avoid potential risks. Access, use, and impact of digital technologies are deeply intertwined with social dimensions, such as social class, status, education, gender, and age roles (Halford & Savage, 2010; Neves, 2015; Ragnedda & Muschert, 2013, 2015; Robinson et al., 2015; Warschauer, 2004). Despite this “recurring cycle between social and digital inequalities” (Ragnedda & M..