During a week-long visit (October 2023) to the Digital Economy Lab at the University of Warsaw in Poland, Maria Laura Ruiu and I had the invaluable opportunity to engage with scholars and researchers affiliated with this interdisciplinary group. The experience was enriching and intellectually stimulating, allowing for in-depth discussions about our ongoing research on Digital Capital, encompassing both theoretical frameworks and empirical explorations. Specifically, we presented and delved into our research concerning the third level of the digital divide and the intricate interplay between social and digital inequalities. We delved into a critical investigation of the self-reinforcing dynamics inherent in both digital and social exclusion. Our inquiry led us to define a concept we termed “The Inequality Loop.” This loop encapsulates the interconnected and mutually reinforcing relationship between digital and social exclusion, perpetuating a cycle of inequality that is often difficult to break.

Moreover, we introduced and deliberated upon the concept of Digital Environmental Habitus, shedding light on our empirical research endeavors aimed at comprehending this aspect. We propose a conceptualization of the Digital-Environmental Habitus, which integrates the structural underpinnings (existing background) and the metabolized heightened integration of digital technologies into individuals’ daily routines, interacting with their environmental attitudes. Additionally, we presented the empirical findings from our research conducted in England, which highlighted how factors such as parental education levels, gender, age, and income influence the degree of awareness regarding environmentally conscious usage of digital technologies. This investigation revealed a stratified nature of the digital-environmental habitus among parents in England, determined by a fusion of pre-existing socioeconomic characteristics and an individual’s ability and willingness to adapt to the pronounced surge in digital technology use (attributed to pandemic-induced social distancing) and the concurrent environmental degradation.

The past week has been both stimulating and demanding, filled with engaging public lectures, insightful discussions with colleagues, and thorough reviews of ongoing research projects. Our time at the Digital Economy Lab (DeLab) has been immensely rewarding, offering us the opportunity to connect with esteemed scholars and researchers from diverse disciplines focused on the evolution of the digital economy, societal shifts, and globalization. The collaboration extends across faculties, notably involving the Faculty of Economic Sciences, the Faculty of Sociology, and the Faculty of Law and Administration, further enriching our collective academic endeavors.