Il capitale digitale. Contesti e pratiche generative nell'era digitale

The concept of social capital represents one of the most versatile and debated categories in the social sciences. Although not a novel notion, it gains renewed relevance in light of the cultural and communicative transformations brought about by digital technologies, which are redefining relational dynamics, educational processes, and pathways of socialisation. The volume critically examines social capital as a multidimensional construct – an interplay of relational networks, bonds of trust, and the internalisation of norms and values – capable of shedding light on new forms of participation, recognition, and well-being, as well as on emerging educational inequalities. Starting from a theoretical framework that reinterprets the legacy of Bourdieu, Coleman, Putnam, and Portes, the book proposes a mapping of the three dimensions of social capital (structural, relational, and cognitive) and analyses their connections with family and media contexts across three crucial stages: childhood, preadolescence, and adolescence. In the first stage, the cognitive dimension plays a central role, as it promotes the sedimentation of cultural values and principles through the mediation of social agencies. During preadolescence, the weight of the social structure and habitus—linked to family status—becomes predominant; while in adolescence, peer-group relational dynamics emerge as a determining factor in shaping cultural orientations, educational choices, and social visions. The originality of the volume lies in its integration of theoretical reflection and empirical research, through the analysis of three studies conducted by the Mediamonitor Minors Observatory at Sapienza University of Rome. These studies highlight how the quality of family relationships, educational models, and communication styles influence the conscious use of technologies, the development of digital competences, and the construction of youth identity. The proposed perspective allows media socialisation to be interpreted not in dichotomous or ideological terms, but as a complex process in which family, school, and media co-construct both opportunities and risks for the new generations.