A review of the main concepts on inequalities, learning and digital technologies

In the last two decades information and communication technologies as well as digital technologies became relevant issues for social sciences. The linkage between access and use of these technologies and social inequalities brought up important theoretical and political debates and continue to be major issues for governments and organizations that intend to tackle poverty and inequalities. This paper examines the theoretical frameworks addressing the relationship between digital technologies and inequalities. We focus on concepts used to describe differences and inequalities on access, use and literacies. We managed to identify a wide array of terms and ideas which were proposed as conceptual tools to understand how inequalities shape our skills to use digital technologies in diverse and meaningful ways. Even though some of these concepts have become more or less popular, and others remain constrained to scholarly research, their emergence suggest a dynamic area of study where scholars from different regions are seeking for a better understanding of a challenging and vertiginous and phenomenon.