Towards an Algorithmic Nation? Dilemmas Around Synthetic Citizenship in Northern Ireland

Resumen

Northern Ireland (NI) has consistently been a fragile, disputed city-regional nation. Despite NI’s majority favouring EU membership, de facto Brexit, post-pandemic challenges, and the Northern Ireland Protocol have unveiled a profound dilemma: individuals across political lines arequestioning aspects of their citizenship. Simultaneously, AI-based applications like ChatGPT and DAOs, alongside decentralized technologies such as blockchain ledgers and data co-operatives, are reshaping the border space between NI, Ireland, and the UK leading to a synthetic citizenship regime. This regime signals a shifting relationship between citizenship, city-regionalised nation, and state sovereignty. Algorithmic mediation pervades smart cities and digital platforms in datadriven urban environments. This paper suggests the ‘Algorithmic Nations’ approach to articulate this synthetic citizenship regime, where blockchain technology may facilitate identity borders and devolution. This article assesses the implications of this dilemma for a city-regionalised nation enmeshed within the UK, Ireland, and Europe. It explores synthetic citizenship in NI using the ‘Algorithmic Nations’ framework, addressing (i) cross-bordering, (ii) critical awareness, (iii) digitalactivism, and (iv) post-pandemic realities. The article concludes with a discussion of three dilemmas and how ‘Algorithmic Nations’ could integrate NI’s synthetic citizenship. This paper aims to spark debate to anticipate technopolitical challenges surrounding synthetic citizenship in NI, Ireland, the UK, and the EU. It draws on a published article by the author in the journal Citizenship Studies titled ‘The dilemmas around digital citizenship in a Post-Brexit and Post-Pandemic Northern Ireland: Towards an Algorithmic Nation?’ part of a Special Issue titled ‘DigitalCitizenship in the Post-Pandemic Urban Realm’ co-edited by the author.