Digital Transformation in Welfare Systems: Data, Technologies, and Emerging Social Challenges

As welfare systems confront the accelerating forces of digitalization and datafication, they are undergoing a profound transformation. The digital turn is introducing new infrastructures, tools, and governance models that are redefining how social services are delivered and experienced. Interactions between citizens and institutions are becoming increasingly mediated by data-driven systems, altering both access and accountability. At the same time, emerging technologies are reshaping how social risks are identified, monitored, and addressed. Together, these shifts signal a fundamental reconfiguration of the modern welfare state. Digital Transformation in Welfare Systems: Data, Technologies, and Emerging Social Challenges establishes an international reference point for research on digital welfare and data governance, extending the conversation beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Bringing together rigorous scholarship within an open, collaborative framework, this book moves beyond diagnosis, offering critical insights and forward-looking perspectives. Covering topics such as automated public services, ethical automation, and local empowerment, this book is an excellent academic resource for graduate and doctoral students, public sector administrators, welfare system designers, technology developers, and more.