PostWestphalian Datafied Network States

Abstract

This paper introduces a lexicon tailored for the digital era, emphasizing the transformation and rescaling of nation-states in the context of digital citizenship and the burgeoning discussions around novel datafied network states. It investigates how various communities and groups harness digital technologies, notably blockchain, to broaden their sovereignty, crossing the conventional physical and geopolitical frontiers, and championing strategies for emancipatory datafication within the confines of the nation-state paradigm.Utilizing a taxonomy of digital citizenship regimes (Calzada, 2022)—categorized as algorithmic (Estonia), liquid (Amsterdam and Barcelona), metropolitan (Cardiff), and stateless (Barcelona, Glasgow, and Bilbao)—the article probes into the emergent configurations of Post-Westphalian Datafied Network States. It underscores a pivotal shift from traditional 'territorial sovereignty' towards 'functional sovereignty,' withthe aim of elucidating the defining features and underlying justifications for the emergence of these networkcentricpolitical formations.The discourse extends to a comparative analysis of concepts such as Datafied States, Network States, Coordinations, Networked Sovereignties, Algorithmic Nations, E-Residence, and Digital Nomadism. It delves deeper into the evolving dynamics and power shifts among state and non-state entities within burgeoning digital territories, moving past theoretical debates to evaluate the role of social media in fostering citizen engagement and the complex realities of online activism. Referencing "Emerging Digital Citizenship Regimes" (Emerald, 2022), this study also explores Decentralized Web 3.0 technologies, including Solid, alongside innovative and disruptive technologies like Blockchain, DAOs, Data Cooperatives, the Metaverse, and ChatGPT.Furthermore, the paper scrutinizes contemporary interpretations of 'digital territory' (Möllers 2021), the rescaling of nation-states (Brenner, 2004), and the intricate processes by which national borders are replicated within the global information infrastructure. It critically addresses 'infrastructure territorialisation projects' and the digital marginalization of disenfranchised communities (Morris 2022), advocating for acritical reassessment of the relationship between state, territory, and digital space. This reassessment is vital for grasping how technological advancements in digital mapping and the politicization of land and terrain (Elden 2010) are reshaping both digital and physical landscapes.In sum, this article not only proposes a novel theoretical framework for reinterpreting the nation-state in the digital age but also critically evaluates the transformative effects and possibilities that emerging technologies hold for digital democracy and governance. It sheds light on the network state concept and the capacity of global civil society to forge digital nations that surpass the conventional Westphalian model, accentuating the varied expressions of territoriality and the collective quest for justice and rights across diverse scales.