Digitalizzazione dei servizi pubblici e rischi di esclusione sociale: un'analisi critica dei documenti di policy a livello europeo, nazionale e regionale (2010-2024)

Over the past two decades, public institutions in Europe have launched digitalization processes to improve efficiency, quality, transparency, and reduce costs, with acceleration during the Covid-19 pandemic. While offering benefits in terms of accessibility and simplification, digitalization can also lead to social exclusion, especially among older people. This research, conducted through a critical discourse analysis approach, is based on 35 policy documents at European, national, and regional levels (Campania and Lombardy), published between 2010 and 2024. The aim is to investigate how digitalization and its effects are represented in policy discourses, with particular attention to issues of social inclusion/exclusion. A techno-optimistic approach prevails, often overlooking the complexities of contemporary digital societies.