Digital Divide| Examining Internet Use Through a Weberian Lens

Abstract

Research on Internet use typically has been concerned with issues of access or activities people do online. This research has been fruitful, but it has not been fully linked to larger theories of stratification. Although Max Weber says little about technology, his general approach to studying society suggests concepts other than access and demographics will be important. From his perspective, the primary sources of social stratification are class, status, and power. As the Internet has become more important, it has moved to a steadily more central position in the stratification system. Thus, it is important to look at Internet use through a Weberian lens, asking how class, status, and power help explain who participates in what online activities.