Is the Digitalisation of Welfare Creating New Social Risks? The Cases of the UK, Finland and Sweden

Authors : Didem KOCA

Pages : 106-132

View : 51 | Download : 25

Publication Date : 2023-10-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Existing social policy literature does not adequately explain how welfare states are changing today in the digital age. However, we are witnessing how digitalisation is fundamentally shifting the policy paradigms of welfare states in today\`s living conditions. The transition to data-driven systems, especially in public administration, has been one of the important agenda items of many countries for some time. Such a landscape has provided a suitable ground for discussing some opportunities and challenges for traditional welfare states. The main theme of these debates is centred around the question \`are traditional welfare states transforming?\`.This article traces the course of digitalisation in social policy and analyses the opportunities and challenges faced by countries implementing digital social policy today in a descriptive manner. The article is organised in three main parts. In the first part, the digital welfare state is conceptually analysed by discussing the course of digitalisation in social policy and the turning points on the road to digitalisation. In the second part, the opportunities, risks and dilemmas of the digital welfare state are discussed. In the last section, the digital welfare state practices of the UK, Finland and Sweden are analysed. The findings of the research indicate that digital welfare systems bring serious dilemmas and risks as well as advantages. The research shows that digital welfare systems tend to create \`new social risks\`.
Keywords : Sosyal Politika, Dijital Refah, Refah Devleti, Dijital Eşitsizlik

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