Abstract
Immigrants are at-risk for digital exclusion. This is often framed as a problem of lacking resources as socio-economic disadvantages coincide with digital exclusion In this paper I argue that the traditional focus on resources as a primary cause for exclusion does not sufficiently capture the reality. In particular, it overlooks the role of barriers caused by contextual changes inherent in international migrants’ journeys. Using iterative thematic analysis of qualitative data, the paper asks how well-connected immigrants’ experiences of digital exclusion in interactions with the Norwegian public sector can be explained and improved. Employing Bourdieu’s concept of field to complement his already-used concept of capital, it identifies two explanations for experiences of exclusion, both related to a combination of immigrants’ access to resources and the context they find themselves in. I argue that incorporating Bourdieu’s concept of field can help us to better understand how these experiences of exclusion are produced. This perspective reveals systemic barriers that can be missed with a sole focus on newcomers’ resources.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Katherine, "Connected Yet Excluded: How Change In National Context Contributes To Digital Exclusion For Immigrants To Norway" (2025). 16th Scandinavian Conference on Information Systems. 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/scis2025/5