Welcome to CEDIC Talks, a webinar series where we invite national and international researchers to hold open guest lectures on social and political consequences of digitization.

Media Poverty: Media Use and Citizenship in Conditions of Deprivation

Torgeir Uberg Nærland from NORCE

Abstract

Media Poverty: Media Use and Citizenship in Conditions of Deprivation

The media is a binding force between citizens and the world beyond their private sphere. Therefore, people’s use of the media is a precondition for the enactment of informed and active citizenship. At the same time, evidence suggests that poverty is systematically linked to disconnection from the public and political world, and to low political participation. For citizens who live in conditions of poverty, the consequences are crippled possibilities for civic agency and the reinforcement of marginalization. For democracy, the civic withdrawal of this group challenges its legitimacy. Based on recent empirical work from the Media Poverty project, I will in this talk draw upon large-scale qualitative research into the media use and everyday lives of impoverished citizens in Norway. In this way I hope to shed light on some of ways in which poverty affects people’s possibilities to enact citizenship through their use of the media.

Project link:

https://www.norceresearch.no/en/projects/media-poverty-media-use-and-citizenship-in-conditions-of-deprivation

The talk will be in English if needed.

What is CEDIC Talks?

The Research Centre for Digitalisation of Public Services and Citizenship (CEDIC) is the host institution for the research school DIGIT. CEDIC has a monthly lecture series called CEDIC Talks, that aims to broaden our knowledge and awareness about ongoing research in Europe about digitalization processes and their social consequences.  

The lectures are open, and both DIGIT members and others are welcome to participate.