YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

Use of information and communications technology, and the digital environment  327 people, the historical reference points of networked citizens are closer to global information network capitalism than welfare state capitalism, and their social contacts are increasingly managed through new communica- tion network environments (ibid.). Current generations of young people belong to the group of citizens who, through their generational experi- ence, are most exposed to these processes. A statement from one of the interviewees nicely indicates young people’s acceptance of this fact. “Technology is among us, it will remain among us; it will connect us more and more, and it will also be more and more present among us.” (Alex, 25 years old, member of the Italian minority) It is indisputable that new conditions create new forms of inequality, as new forms of socio-political, economic, and also recreational integration take place in new environments, which require different infrastructural as well as intellectual capacities. Norris (2001: 13) notes that the internet and related processes will give a disproportionate advantage to the elite. This is due to the fact that they are in a better position both in terms of access to the infra- structure, needed for full inclusion, and in termof access toknowledge infra- structure or knowledge itself, which is necessary for the full use of accessible infrastructure. In addition to the individual level, it is necessary to empha- sise the systemlevel, whichprovidesworse or better conditions for inclusion in theglobal capitalismof informationnetworks both in terms of technology (5G, broadband, etc.) and in terms of pedagogy (establishment and promo- tion of connectivismas a pedagogical paradigm; see Langset et al., 2018). The impact that individual and systemic differences have on the well-be- ing of the citizenry and its society is remarkable. Namely, the level of technological progress dictates, in addition to the establishment of new systems, constant adjustments based on the individual’s corpus of knowledge, competencies, and skills. An appropriate level of so-called digital skills and competencies opens up new – and often the only – op- portunities for political, economic, and social engagement through so- cial interaction with other people or interaction with other systems and services (Ecorys, 2016). In addition, digital competencies and skills also have a significant impact on a person’s social mobility (ibid.). Various