Digital technologies and Social Relations of Age, Gender and Class among Seniors: An Intersectional Approach

Abstract

A good deal of research uses the sociology of domination to study inequalities in digital technology usage as these often stem from deep-cut social divides. Bourdieu’s theory of domination has been widely employed to demonstrate that the social world is stratified according to a principle of legitimacy: the social hierarchy holds good because those who are dominated do not challenge this order. Yet, in the digital era – which is a destabilising factor for traditional hierarchies – this type of theory comes up against certain limits due to its static premises. For this reason, our study adopted an intersectional approach, as this is more able to take into account the power relations between individuals and, more specifically, the forms of resistance that drive individuals. A field study conducted with French people over the age of 60 served as the basis for this theoretical analysis. The study shows that the seniors’ differentiated relationships with ICTs correlate strongly with their age group, gender and class. When these analytical categories are combined, patterns emerge – patterns that are not only specific but which also reflect a process of negotiation with the dominant norms.