Overview
- Sheds new light on social reproduction in the digital age
- Brings a novel analysis of socio-economic inequality, introducing the metaphor of 'mirrored spaces'
- Draws on Martina Löw's spatial theory and the works of Pierre Bourdieu
- This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access
Part of the book series: Geographies of Media (GOM)
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About this book
This open access book critically examines discussions on digitalisation and individual opportunities for socio-economic advancement. Contrary to the prevailing narratives of “digital empowerment” and opportunities for every individual, this book argues that digitalisation massively curtails social advancement opportunities, consolidating existing social relations. From a spatial perspective, Scheffer demonstrates how socially disadvantaged groups are faced with reproducing mechanisms as part of a new data economy. Surprisingly, the more intensively digital services are used, the more this happens.
Building on Löw´s sociology of space and Bourdieu´s concept of habitus, this book shows how practices of social exclusion are transferred to the digital present in an innovative way. The image of “mirrored” spaces describes a new mechanism that explains social exclusion in the age of digitalisation. This book is an essential resource for researchers and students interestedin socio-economic inequalities, processes of digitalisation, and digital geographies.
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Keywords
Table of contents (6 chapters)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Jörg Scheffer is Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Passau. His main research interests, in addition to digital geography and urban studies, are in social and cultural geography.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Mirrored Spaces
Book Subtitle: Social Inequality in the Digital Age
Authors: Jörg Scheffer
Series Title: Geographies of Media
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42793-1
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Wiesbaden
eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2024
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-658-42792-4Published: 26 November 2023
eBook ISBN: 978-3-658-42793-1Published: 25 November 2023
Series ISSN: 3005-012X
Series E-ISSN: 3005-0138
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 166
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 9 illustrations in colour
Topics: Human Geography, Social Structure, Social Inequality, Urban Studies/Sociology, Social Sciences, general, Digital Humanities