The interpretive and ideal-type approach

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. Access, use, and impact of digital technologies are deeply intertwined with social dimensions, such as social class, status, education, gender, and age roles. A small body of literature has employed Weber's concepts in the digital divides field, mostly on social stratification. This chapter contextualizes the Weberian interpretive lens and the ideal type approach, showing their value for studying digital divides. It sketches how this approach can help uncover and frame non-use. Weberian sociology aims to understand the meaning that p..