Eszter Hargittai, is giving a talk on Friday November 15 (1:30pm in the HUB) entitled "Digital Inequality in Older Adults' Technology Use."
Hargittai, a renowned Professor at the University of Zurich (UZH), holds the prestigious Chair of Internet Use and Society in the Department of Communication and Media Research. With her work recognized internationally, Hargittai is a Fellow of the International Communication Association and an External Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Her academic journey began with a BA in Sociology from Smith College, followed by a PhD in Sociology from Princeton University.
Before her current role at UZH, Hargittai was the Delaney Family Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on the impact of digital media on societal inequality, exploring how variations in digital skills can influence individuals' online experiences. This work is particularly relevant as the digital divide continues to affect access to opportunities and information.
Hargittai’s scholarly contributions are extensive, with over 140 published journal articles and book chapters. Among her recent works, she co-authored Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online (forthcoming from the University of Chicago Press) with John Palfrey, and in 2022, she released Connected in Isolation: Digital Privilege in Unsettled Times (MIT Press), which delves into the privileges associated with digital connectivity during challenging times.
As an editor, Hargittai has overseen multiple influential volumes, including the Handbook of Digital Inequality (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021), Research Exposed: How Empirical Social Science Gets Done in the Digital Age (Columbia University Press, 2021), Digital Research Confidential (co-edited with Christian Sandvig, MIT Press, 2015), and Research Confidential: Solutions to Problems Most Social Scientists Pretend They Never Have (University of Michigan Press, 2009).
Hargittai’s ongoing research is a critical contribution to understanding digital inequities, shedding light on who benefits from digital advancements and who may be left behind, positioning her as a leading voice in the conversation on digital inclusion and skill disparity.