Digitally skilled but socially disadvantaged: Enabling digital capabilities in low-income families

Anthony McCosker, Julie Tucker, Jenny Kennedy
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Abstract

This paper presents a case study of smart home technology use in a low-income household, focussing on the paradox within the digital divide of having high digital skills while experiencing social disadvantage. Contextualised within a larger study of digital disadvantage in low-income households, we use an ethnographic case study approach to examine the experiences of a single parent who lives with her son in public housing and uses various smart home and assistive technologies to manage the home environment and their health and disability. Countering macro studies that equate low-income and disability with digital exclusion, we explore the ‘enabling capabilities’ associated with using digital technologies to address disadvantage. Our case study is contextualised against the typical digital inclusion challenges faced by low-income families and draws on Sen and Nussbaum’s capabilities approach to addressing social inequalities. The paper highlights the need to support situation-specific digital capability development and flexible technology and social welfare arrangements. Our findings and approach contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how to address digital inequality.
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数字技术熟练,但社会地位低下:提高低收入家庭的数字能力
本文介绍了一个低收入家庭使用智能家居技术的案例研究,重点关注数字鸿沟中的悖论,即拥有高数字技能的同时却处于社会不利地位。在对低收入家庭的数字劣势进行更广泛研究的背景下,我们采用人种学案例研究的方法,考察了一位单亲家庭的经历,她与儿子住在公共住房中,并使用各种智能家居和辅助技术来管理家庭环境以及他们的健康和残疾状况。与将低收入和残疾等同于数字排斥的宏观研究相反,我们探索了与使用数字技术解决弱势相关的 "使能能力"。我们的案例研究以低收入家庭面临的典型数字包容挑战为背景,并借鉴了森和努斯鲍姆解决社会不平等问题的能力方法。本文强调了支持针对具体情况的数字能力发展以及灵活的技术和社会福利安排的必要性。我们的研究结果和方法有助于更细致地理解如何解决数字不平等问题。
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CiteScore
5.80
自引率
7.10%
发文量
98
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