Algorithmic Governance and Postcoloniality

Abstract

The concept of algorithmic governance is increasingly being used to make sense of rapid technological transformations of governance practices globally. This paper outlines three key dynamics that underpin the dominant literature on algorithmic governance, that is social ordering through digital veillance, reduced negotiability via roboprocesses, and dependency-led compliance. Analyzing Kerala’s experiment with AI traffic cameras along these three dynamics, this paper advocates that algorithmic governance is better understood when grounded in sociopolitical contexts. To do so, I demonstrate how bringing algorithmic governance in conversation with postcoloniality allows us to effectively analyze the introduction of new hierarchies and understand the emerging Human Computer Collaboration systems better, especially in postcolonial contexts.

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