Digital Governance, Surveillance and the State: Re-imagining Democracy in the Data Age

Type
Open Panel
Language
English
Discussants
Description

Democracies face an unprecedented and complex set of structural pressures in contemporary times. This is evident in changing expectations of the citizens and the strategies the state employs to meet them. In recent years, we have witnessed a massive digital transformation in how governments operate worldwide, significantly reshaping policy implementation and service delivery. These digital governance systems have significantly improved the efficiency and effectiveness of administration. However, the same tools of digital governance are also accused of developing a complex network of surveillance and control by subjecting citizens to digital tracking. What is worse is that this massive data collection often lacks transparency and accountability, becoming a tool in the hands of state and non-state actors, including corporations that collect this data on behalf of the state. These data are then used for behavior management and social control. On the one hand, it compromises citizens' privacy; on the other hand, it can manipulate democratic outcomes and risk the values that have sustained democracies over the years. So, the paradox is evident: the modernization of governance and service delivery, seen as an urgent necessity, also becomes the trope that renders citizens vulnerable to the forces controlling technology. In this context, we are drawn to rethink questions such as: How does the digitization of governance impact democracies in practice? Have the values of democracy undergone a foundational shift in the digital age? How can the benefits of digital governance be protected against threats like surveillance that threaten basic democratic values? What can be the potential checks and balances that can mitigate the threats to citizens' privacy and freedom in the digital era? The papers in this panel would reflect on some of these concerns and would be broadly related to, though not limited to, themes like: Resilience of Democratic Institutions in the wake of structural pressures; e-Governance, Public Policy and Social Equity; The Digital Public Sphere and Civic Space; Democracy in the Algorithmic Age. It is expected that the papers in the panel will reflect on the subject from diverse vantage points, including experiences of digital governance in democracies worldwide.

Onsite Presentation Language
Same as proposal language
Panel ID
PL-4297
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