Social Policies in the Digital World

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid digitalization of our societies has led to transformative changes in how social policies are designed, implemented, and experienced. As digital technologies increasingly permeate all aspects of social life, the need for a comprehensive understanding of their impact on welfare states and social policies has become more urgent. This Special Issue welcomes contributions that explore the multifaceted relationship between digitalization and social policy, offering new insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise in this evolving landscape.

We are particularly interested in papers that examine how digital technologies, including automation, datafication, and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the administration of social policy and the governance of a welfare state. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• The impact of digitalization on welfare state structures and the delivery of social services.
• How digital governance transforms public administration and the implications for welfare recipients.
• The role of big data and automated decision-making in social policy, including ethical and human rights considerations.
• The challenges of digital inclusion and exclusion, and the ways in which digital divides affect access to welfare benefits and services.
• Theoretical frameworks for understanding the digital welfare state and its implications for social equity and justice.
• Case studies of digital welfare reforms and their outcomes across different national contexts.
• The influence of digitalization on labor markets, employment policies, and social risks, particularly in the context of platform economies and automation.
• The digital divide and its implications for social equity and inclusion.
• The role of digital technologies in shaping healthcare, education, and social welfare policies.
• Privacy, surveillance, and data protection in the context of social services.
• The role of social media in influencing public opinion and policymaking.
• The challenges of regulating digital platforms and their impact on social welfare.

This Special Issue aims to advance the discourse concerning social policies in the digital world by collecting innovative research and critical perspectives from diverse disciplines, including sociology, political science, public administration, and information technology, that address the challenges and opportunities presented by this digital transformation. We encourage both empirical and theoretical contributions that critically assess the transformation of welfare states in the digital era.

Prof. Dr. Marlene Haupt
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• digitalization
• social policy
• welfare state
• automation
• datafication
• artificial intelligence
• big data
• digital governance
• social equity
• privacy