Digital capital as a mobility channel for ethnic minorities

Using data from a large-scale Annual Social Survey of Israel's CBS, the current paper discusses the concept of digital capital as an all-sufficient resource beyond the four capital types enumerated by Bourdieu. This study examines the digital divide as reflected in differences in digital capital between the veteran Jewish majority and two ethnic minorities -Israeli Arabs and immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) - in Israeli society and characterizes the connection between digital divide and social stratification. Digital capital was found to be an important resource that contributes to individuals' income and occupational prestige, beyond the classic socio-demographic factors. After controlling for digital capital variables (where background variables, cultural capital and labor market variables are the same) the income gaps between veteran Jews and Israeli Arabs closed. Digital capital may serve as a mobility channel for the Arab minority to attain social and economic equality with the Jewish majority.