Thinking the Digital Sociologically: Theoretical Discussions and Dimensions for the Study of Digital Communication and Culture

Contemporary societies are crossed by the digital. Whether it is a matter of individual communicative practices or global dynamics of disinformation, there are a series of increasingly complex processes of datification, algorithmization and platformization (Barreneche & Lombana-Bermúdez, 2023; Bonini & Treré, 2024; D'Ignazio, 2024; Gómez-Cruz, 2022; Jeppesen & Sartoretto, 2023; Lemos, 2023; Masiero, 2023; Milan, 2024; Milan & Treré, 2022; Ricaurte, 2024; Siles, 2023; Siles, Gómez-Cruz & Ricaurte, 2023). Understanding these contemporary societies requires approaching the actors, practices and relationships, as well as the devices and spaces in which they occur. This paper addresses the theoretical challenges for the study of digital culture and communication, especially in relation to the public.

To do so, it takes as a starting point a map of key discussions in the study of the digital. Over the years we have approached digital communities, digital divide, data colonialism, algorithmic cultures and a long etcetera. Sometimes we have even jumped from one concept to another without going deep enough. These discussions have been mainly focused on Anglo and Eurocentric contributions, but it is worthwhile to broaden the view and learn about the ways in which the digital is studied from other contexts (Flores-Márquez, 2021; Masiero, 2023; Siles, Gómez-Cruz & Ricaurte, 2023).

Therefore, I propose five dimensions to articulate the theoretical —and methodological discussions, although the emphasis of this paper is on the first ones—: the technological dimension, the communicational dimension, the political dimension, the economic dimension and the environmental dimension. The relationships between dimensions are emphasized, for example, although analytically we focus on a phenomenon of political economy of platforms, we cannot ignore the impact they have on the environment.

This work seeks to contribute, update and diversify the ways of thinking sociologically about the digital, if the label digital is still valid.