Digital Capital: A New Approach to Understanding Inequalities

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31501/esf.v1i35.15954

Abstract

Digital inequality is one of the major barriers to the full exercise of citizenship. This article discusses the impact of these inequalities on democracy, as it is observed that some people are able to participate more effectively in political decision-making processes, such as in digital democracy initiatives. The study proposes a reformulation of the concept of digital capital, classifying it into two subtypes: personal digital capital and community digital capital.

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Author Biographies

Letícia Alcântara, UFBA

Doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Communication and Contemporary Culture at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). She completed a doctoral fellowship at the Institut de Recherche Médias, Cultures, Communication et Numérique (IRMÉCCEN), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, in Paris.

Samuel Barros, UFBA

PhD in Communication from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and doctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professor in the Department of Political Science at UFBA, permanent faculty member of the Graduate Program in Communication and Contemporary Culture (PósCom-UFBA) and of the Graduate Program in Political Science (PPGCP); associate researcher at the National Institute of Science and Technology in Digital Democracy (INCT.DD).

Christiana Freitas, Universidade de Brasília

Postdoctoral fellowship in Public Policy and Digital Governance at the GovLab, New York University (2018). Associate Professor in the Graduate Program at the Faculty of Communication, in the Graduate Program in Governance and Innovation in Public Policy at the School of Economics, Business Administration, Accounting, and Public Policy Management (Face), and in the Department of Public Policy Management at the University of Brasília (UnB).

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Published

2026-05-19

How to Cite

Alcântara, L., Barros, S., & Freitas, C. (2026). Digital Capital: A New Approach to Understanding Inequalities. Esferas, 1(35). https://doi.org/10.31501/esf.v1i35.15954

Issue

No. 35 (2026): Dossiê Harold Lasswell e o retorno da propaganda

Section

Artigos livres

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Letícia Alcântara, Samuel Barros, Christiana Freitas

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