The digitization of rural social governance, a critical foundation for modernizing governance capabilities in China, gained momentum with the widespread implementation of grid management since 2013. While grid management provided institutional support for the digital transformation of governance, platform technologies, as symbolic representations of digital governance, permeated various facets of social governance. However, existing academic discussions predominantly approach grassroots social grid governance or digital governance from a public management perspective, often neglecting in-depth rural community case analyses. This research paper explores the digital transformation of rural social governance through the lens of technological politics, focusing on the platformization trends in a specific town in Guangdong, China. Through a field investigation in six villages in a Guangdong minority area, we investigate the initial adoption and adaptation of advanced governance technologies, considering the interaction between individuals (grid officers) and platforms in a new media environment. Drawing inspiration from Jacques Ellul's concept of "the technological society," the study delves into the intricate relationship between governance technologies, specifically non-commercial platforms, and rural contexts. Examining the reception and transformation of advanced governance technologies in underdeveloped rural areas, the research highlights the complexities arising from the dependence on local actors and the divergence of village dynamics from standardized governance platform logics. The study employs a critical analysis of the technological infrastructure of governance cloud platforms, exploring how quantitative, classifying, and assigning technologies regulate on-the-ground practices. The study contends that the digitization of rural governance is not merely a technical challenge but a cultural one.

Authors:
Yanping Guo, South China Normal University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Yanping Guo is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at South China Normal University in China

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

Bookmark