THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONS ON SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES

Abstract

In the era of digital globalization, contemporary societies are undergoing profound transformations affecting both social relationships and identity construction. This research aims to analyze the impact of digital transformations on social dynamics and cultural expressions, focusing on the Algerian society within a comparative framework involving other international contexts. Using a qualitative approach based on three case studies (Algeria, Indigenous communities in Canada, and Western societies), this study highlights the ambivalent role of digital technology: it simultaneously fosters the strengthening of deterritorialized social ties and the reconfiguration of identities, while also posing risks of cultural homogenization and social fragmentation. The findings reveal that social actors develop strategies of hybridization, resistance, or appropriation, navigating between tradition and modernity. This work also emphasizes the necessity to rethink education in light of digital challenges, promoting critical, intercultural, and digitally-aware citizenship