Adapting Citizenship: The Impact of Digitalization on Governance and Participation

The institution of citizenship undeniably adapts to constant changes in society. In an era of globalization, citizenship has been investigated through multiple lenses of political, social, and legal scrutiny. Therefore, distinct nuances of the concept have unfolded, informing us about citizenship as status, right, membership, etc. Among many others, the concepts of transnational, supranational, postnational, and denational citizenship have been brought into discussion. Additionally, with digitalization becoming part of everyday life, the concept of digital citizenship has been introduced. Digital citizenship shares the same ideals of membership and participation as other concepts of citizenship have done before. However, the basic unit of scrutiny seems to shift. Nation-states and other state-like entities have had to introduce new institutional frameworks that suit the new technological advancements. Technopolitical democracies are being created. This phenomenon results in the rescaling of the space that nation-states occupy. Consequently, the relationship between the state and its citizens has changed drastically. The underlying project focuses on how the institution of citizenship is being shaped by technological advancements in governance and what impact these advancements have on forms of democratic participation as we know it. The research investigates governmental practices that impact digital citizens. It aims to understand how and in what ways people are governed as digital citizens. By doing so, the project seeks to show how digital citizens are being captured by state practices. The project seeks to embed the existing literature on digital citizenship within the broader context of democratic participation. In doing so, a more pronounced understanding of the digital citizen as a political figure is to be developed. Three case studies are discussed. Estonia, in relation to this research, is considered the originator of digital citizenship. The state, as a form of nation-building, created its own pathway in the 21st century by establishing digital governance over its citizenry. Another case study, Hungary, is introduced, which appears to be establishing its digital citizenry as part of its nation-building ambitions. Hungary promises to expand its digital governance by 2026. The third case study focuses on the European Union, which, as a state-like formation, is scrutinized to examine what features its supranational citizenship shares with digital citizenship.