The Silent Culture of Students: Reproduction of Social Identity Inequality in the Digital Era

Digital disruption within higher education does not necessarily promote students’ critical participation. Critical consciousness must be cultivated through the establishment of a secure and institutionally supported discussion ecosystem. The phenomenon of a culture of silence emerges as a form of self-censorship in response to sensitive issues. This article examines how students’ culture of silence in the digital era contributes to the reproduction of social identity inequalities. Employing a qualitative approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews and participatory observation to explore students’ experiences in responding to issues of gender inequality, class disparity, and minority identities within campus digital spaces. The analysis is grounded in the concept of the culture of silence and social reproduction theory. The findings reveal that pressures from dominant norms, fear of prejudice, and digital surveillance encourage students to adopt silence as a strategy of self-protection. Rather than functioning as an emancipatory sphere, the digital era may reproduce power relations through the normalization of silence, reinforcing inequality and shaping contemporary higher education within digital society.