Beyond access and skills: A reformulation of digital inclusion to encompass preventative and social dimensions in Wales

Kacar, Marina 2025. Beyond access and skills: A reformulation of digital inclusion to encompass preventative and social dimensions in Wales. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This research represents an interpretive qualitative study, which primarily expands the current conceptualisation of digital inclusion, as conceived in the information systems literature, connected academic circles, and policy-related environments. The aforementioned literature has a constrained view of digital inclusion, often representing it as a hypernym, which signifies the technical tactics dedicated to providing digital access, literacy training, and the extraction of opportunities limited to the online domains. However, insufficient attention has been dedicated to overlooked components of digital inclusion initiatives, such as their role in preventing unfavourable occurrences in online domains and the spaces in which these initiatives take place in. Moreover, the dawn of novel digital technologies and their global proliferation, has prompted academics to revisit the definition of digital inclusion. Therefore, two types of data were collected: research interviews (semi-structured and un-structured) and publicly available relevant textual data. The interview protocol included “creative research questions” (Kara 2020). The methodology used to analyse the data was Ziebland and McPherson’s (2006) thematic analysis. The context of the study is the devolved UK nation of Wales. This research provides three distinct contributions. One contribution denotes a contemporary, reformulation of the term digital inclusion, to encompass both preventative and social dimensions. Therefore, the term digital inclusion has been amplified to contain the aspects of preventing the dark side of digitalisation as well as providing the space for offline societal convening. The second contribution denotes the implications for the practice of digital inclusion, which urges those undertaking digital inclusion initiatives to add into their digital inclusion initiatives preventative and social aims, together with their ongoing technical ones. The third contribution denotes the underscoring of the magnitude of spaces and infrastructures, whilst managing digital inclusion initiatives. Consequently, the physical and organisational settings directly impact whether the novel preventative and social dimensions can be achieved.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 January 2026
Last Modified:	09 Jan 2026 17:42
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183772

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