Factors of inequality in the use of digital cultural resources in a regional community
Abstract
Digital transformation of the cultural sector is supported by the state and is seen as one of the tools for ensuring equal access to cultural benefits. However, the digitalisation process does not always lead to the intended results: certain social groups remain excluded. This article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at identifying the socio-demographic and resource-related factors that determine the population’s use of digital cultural resources. The empirical basis comprises data from a sociological survey of the population of Vologda Oblast (N=1 500), conducted in 2025. The analysis draws on concepts of digital inequality and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital. Cross-tabulation analysis with Cramer’s V coefficient was used to assess the strength and significance of associations between variables, as well as binary logistic regression to identify the combined influence of factors. A profile of the digital cultural resource user is identified: a resident of a large city, with higher education, middle-aged, female, and having minor children in the family. It is revealed that digital cultural resources in the region do not fulfil the function of automatically equalising access to cultural benefits. Factors influencing the use of digital cultural resources in the regional community are identified, such as age, education, territory of residence, gender, and income level based on purchasing power. The most significant among these are age and education. The territorial factor retains independent significance even after accounting for education level, age, and purchasing power of income: residents of rural districts have significantly lower chances of using digital cultural resources compared to residents of large cities. The dominant limiting factor is the motivational barrier: a lack of public interest in digital resources and resistance to digital formats in the cultural sphere. Using the example of the ‘Pushkin Card’ programme, it is shown that even targeted support measures can operate according to the logic of cumulative advantage, primarily reaching already resource-advantaged groups.