This study investigates the construction of discourse on digital inclusion in Sweden by closely analyzing policy reports from various governmental entities responsible for the digitalization agenda spanning the years 2017 to 2023. The research forms a three-dimensional approach, which focuses on discursive motivations for bridging the digital divide, perceived access prerequisites for achieving this goal, and the primary target group for digital inclusion efforts within the policy discourse. Drawing upon van Dijk's Resources and Appropriation theory, the mezzo-scaleanalysis explores how properties of digital divides related to resource inequalities and adaptation were expressed within the discourse, forming the core framework of this thesis. Fairclough's critical discourse theory (CDA) guides the macro-scale analysis; however, the large-scale view, with a focus on power relations, is not the key framework in this study. Instead, they are drawn upon in the discussion section while evaluating the key findings.The methodology employed combines CDA through close reading with exploratory text mining techniques from the Digital Humanities, revealing three key discursive motivations: 1) social participation, 2) democracy and social equality, and 3) economic prosperity. Material/physical and skills access are identified as primary prerequisites, with a particular focus on people with disabilities. A critical evaluation of these findings provides significant implications for future research on the digital divide, particularly with regards to Swedish policymaking.

This survey study, N = 44 university students, from an urban campus, measured post-pandemic digital divide perceptions, focusing on motivational, physical, skills, and usage access to ICTs through the lens of van Dijk’s resources and appropriation theory. Statistical tests, including one-sample t-tests, correlation analyses, one-way and repeated measure ANOVAs, and independent sample t-tests, highlighted both the perceptions and relationships among different dimensions of digital divides. The findings showed that participants perceive their post-pandemic digital divide perceptions positively. Intrinsic Motivational Access (IMA) mean scores were particularly high, suggesting a strong internal drive among students to engage with ICTs, significantly surpassing extrinsic motivational factors (EMA) that depend on external influences like peer and instructor expectations. Physical Access (PA), while generally high, revealed discrepancies especially in specialized tools like programming software and peer engagement apps, suggesting areas for enhancement. Skill access, encompassing Operational Skills Access (OSA), Informational Skills Access (ISA), and Strategic Skills Access (SSA), indicated high levels of competency among students in utilizing ICTs effectively. Notably, the correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between physical and operational skills access, and moderate associations among various skills accesses, suggesting that foundational digital skills pave the way for more complex information handling and strategic operations. Furthermore, usage access was highly rated, both in general and academic contexts, reflecting the deep integration of ICTs in students' daily and academic lives. The results confirm the critical role of ICTs in enhancing educational outcomes and personal efficiency in the digital age. Significant differences based on demographic factors were also noted. Age and socioeconomic status showed variations in ICT access, with males, older, and higher-income students reporting better access and utilization. However, no significant differences were found across race or ethnicity, grade level, and housing status, indicating a broad uniformity in digital access perceptions across these demographics. Overall, this study underlines the importance of enhancing access and skills to narrow the digital divide. While students generally exhibit high motivational and skills access, the variability in physical access to ICTs and the significant influence of socioeconomic factors suggest that targeted interventions are necessary to ensure equitable engagement across all university student groups.