Tra trasformazioni digitali e capitale relazionale: una lettura sociologica dell’esperienza universitaria per ripensare le politiche del diritto allo studio
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61007/QdC.2026.1.403Parole chiave:
ecosistema digitale, università, esperimento sociologico, diritto allo studioAbstract
L’articolo analizza l’esperienza universitaria nell’ecosistema digitale, proponendo una rilettura sociologica del diritto allo studio alla luce delle trasformazioni tecnologiche e della crescente eterogeneità della popolazione studentesca. A partire da un’indagine quantitativa condotta nel 2021 su un campione di 23.372 studenti iscritti ad atenei italiani (pubblici, privati e telematici), lo studio esplora le principali dimensioni dell’esperienza universitaria: condizioni sociodemografiche, traiettorie biografiche, capitale relazionale, orientamenti valoriali e benessere psico-relazionale. I risultati mostrano come la digitalizzazione, pur ampliando formalmente le opportunità di accesso e flessibilità, abbia contribuito a ridefinire le modalità di partecipazione alla vita accademica, incidendo sull’intensità delle relazioni tra pari, sulle opportunità di socialità informale e sulla percezione di appartenenza. Emergono tre configurazioni ricorrenti differenziate per condizioni di vita, posizionamento nei cicli di studio e orientamenti valoriali (strumentali, simbolici, relazionali). Tali configu-razioni evidenziano come il diritto allo studio non si esaurisca nell’accesso formale o nel sostegno economico, ma dipenda dalla possibilità effettiva di “stare” nell’università, attivando capitale sociale e risorse simboliche. L’articolo propone quindi un allargamento concettuale del diritto allo studio, inteso come diritto a una partecipazione piena, relazionale e capacitante al campo universitario, sollecitando politiche orientate non solo alla redistribuzione, ma anche al rafforzamento delle condizioni di integrazione, riconoscimento e benessere degli studenti in contesti sempre più ibridi e digitalizzati.
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