Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025

 

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Lefteris Topaloglou Website  E-Mail: etopaloglou@uowm.gr

University of Western Macedonia, Greece
Interests: energy transition; spatial justice; place-based approaches and analysis; governance of energy transition

 

 

Prof. Jieren Hu Website  E-Mail: besthujieren@hzcu.edu.cn

Hangzhou City University, China
Interests: sociology of law; dispute resolution; social governance in China

 

 

Special Issue Information

 

Contemporary governance paradigms are undergoing profound transformations under the dual pressures of the digital and green transitions—a phenomenon termed the "twin transition." Rapid advancements in digital technologies (e.g., AI, blockchain, big data, digital twins) are redefining public administration, policy design, and citizen-state interactions, while sustainability imperatives demand adaptive, inclusive, and climate-resilient governance frameworks. This Special Issue invites multidisciplinary contributions that critically explore the intersections of technological innovation, institutional reform, and ethical accountability in reconstructing governance paradigms for the digital-intelligence era.

Thematic Scope
1. Theoretical Foundations & Paradigm Shifts
• Conceptualizing new governance models (e.g., algorithmic governance, smart governance, AI-driven public administration) and critiques of traditional Weberian bureaucracy.
• Revisiting power dynamics (state-citizen-tech firm relations) and governance theories (post-normal science, complexity theory) in the context of digitalization.
• Spatial justice, place-sensitive governance, and the tension between efficiency, equity, and ethical accountability.
2. Technological Drivers & Tools
• AI and big data in governance: Addressing algorithmic bias, fairness, and transparency in automated decision-making.
• Blockchain applications: Anti-corruption, supply chain governance, or voting systems.
• Digital twins and simulations: Urban governance, policy testing, and climate-resilient planning.
3. Institutional Reforms & Policy Innovations
• Regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies: AI ethics (e.g., GDPR-inspired models), data sovereignty laws, and agile governance for fast-evolving tech (e.g., drone regulations).
• National strategies (e.g., China’s “New Infrastructure,” EU’s “Digital Compass”) and place-based governance integrating digital tools.
• Energy transition governance and institutional innovation for sustainable development.
4. Case Studies & Comparative Analyses
• Smart cities (Singapore’s "Smart Nation," Barcelona’s digital sovereignty) and national models (China’s Social Credit System vs. Estonia’s e-Governance).
• Crisis management: Digital tools in COVID-19 responses (contact tracing, vaccine passports).
• Climate-resilient governance and the role of civic tech innovations.
5. Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications
• Surveillance vs. privacy: Balancing public security with individual rights (e.g., facial recognition debates).
• Algorithmic discrimination: Addressing gender/racial biases in AI-driven public services.
• Digital exclusion: Bridging inequalities in access to e-governance tools and participatory platforms.
• Data ethics, algorithmic accountability, and the democratization of digital public services.

Keywords
digital governance; twin transition; Artificial Intelligence (AI); blockchain; sustainable development; public sector innovation; spatial justice; data ethics; algorithmic accountability; surveillance and privacy; civic technology; climate-resilient governance; smart cities; agile governance; digital exclusion

Submission Focus
We welcome interdisciplinary, critical, and empirical contributions spanning theoretical, comparative, and policy-oriented perspectives. Papers should interrogate how digital-intelligence tools challenge or reinforce democratic values, institutional legitimacy, and equitable outcomes across diverse socio-political and territorial contexts. Submissions may address governance challenges in energy transitions, algorithmic governance pitfalls, or transformative potentials of immersive technologies, with an emphasis on rethinking public accountability and institutional innovation for a sustainable future.

Prof. Lefteris Topaloglou
Prof. Jieren Hu
Guest Editors

 

Published Papers
This special issue is now open for submission.