Digitalisation in the post-pandemic era: sustainability, inequality and politics

The value of digitalization has been on full display during the pandemic control efforts. The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) provides a platform that improves the distribution efficiency of medical supplies and lets public-health agencies swiftly access data to monitor the spread of the virus; big-data better informs modeling studies of viral activity, which has enabled policy-makers to strengthen preparations for the outbreak; and artificial intelligence (AI) improves the detection and diagnosis of COVID-19. Thus, the pandemic has accelerated the process of digitalization. One driving force of the promotion of digitalization is its essential role in achieving sustainable development. In fact, digital revolutions—such as the improvement of governance capacity and wide application of remote work—are now seen as essential for achieving sustainable development via lower production costs, improved resource efficiencies, and reduced emissions. Pioneers in this area have already discussed the potential connection between digitalization and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the emerging sustainability evaluation framework of Planetary Boundaries (PB), but the specific mechanisms of influence are still unclear and empirical studies to unlock the black box are in urgent need.

Digitalization shows great impact on inequality. Some argue that it has widened existing economic and social disparities: wealth inequalities have risen as digitalization has reshaped market demand, business models and work styles; and wealth distribution has become more unequal, and income gradually shifted from labor to capital. While others argue that digitalization have reduced inequality: it can directly link the small producers and merchants to large market through online platform; fintech can help to meet the financing needs of micro and small businesses, and so on. In addition, digital transformation has massive implications for politics – it has magnified old concerns over surveillance and control, work and the foundations of democratic governance.

This Collection aims to bring together interdisciplinary research that thinks critically about digitalization from social, economic, political, environmental, and other perspectives against the backdrop of COVID-19.

We envisage papers based on, but by no means restricted to, the following questions:

• Sustainability: Does digitization contribute to sustainable development? How digital transformation impacts the achievement of SDGs? Does digitalization promote the realization of PB?
• Inequality: Under the pandemic impact, does digitalization increase or reduce inequality in different scenarios? What are the influencing mechanisms of the impact of digitalization on inequality?
• Politics: How will digitalization affect the prospect of democracy? What types of governance regimes do we need to deal with the negative effects of digital transformation?
• Others: How does digitalization change everyday life in work, traffic, health care, education, and other social worlds by use of IoT, big data and AI? Is digitalization inconvenient for disadvantaged groups such as the elderly? How can it be addressed?

Contributions may take numerous forms including theoretical- and modelling-based analyses using quantitative and qualitative approaches, case-based experience, including single or multiple, small or large-scale examples, or cross-cutting research covering areas such as innovation and unknowns.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities.