Project R-16009

Governing by data infrastructure: Citizenship, sovereignty, and inequality in the data-driven state (Research)

Digital infrastructures that collect, process, and circulate data have become the backbone of contemporary governance. From digital identity systems to algorithmic welfare allocation and biometric technologies, these infrastructures increasingly regulate the relationship between citizens, markets, and the state. This lecture series explores the rise of governance by data infrastructure—a new mode of rule that operates through data, standards, protocols, and algorithms. By tracing how these infrastructures — 'regulatory data infrastructure' —shape citizenship, sovereignty, and inequality, the series investigates what is at stake for democracy when data becomes both the medium and the object of governance.

01 October 2025 - 30 September 2026