Public Governance on the Blockchain

The emergence of blockchain technologies has unlocked a myriad of possibilities for reshaping governance systems, from the grassroots level of micro-governance to the broader scope of national and transnational governance. In an era marked by persistent governance challenges, there is a profound desire for governance that is optimal, inclusive, participatory, and efficient across various scales of analysis, all of which might be improved by the adoption of distributed ledger technology. However, the adoption of blockchain for governance purposes, particularly in public governance, lags behind other applications such as cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance. What impedes this adoption? Are existing governance systems deemed sufficient by key stakeholders? Is inertia or cost hindering the transformation through blockchain innovations? Or has the potential of blockchain in public governance been overstated?

This book aims to address these questions comprehensively by leveraging the expertise of interdisciplinary scholars who undertake a holistic examination of the role, potential, and limitations of blockchain technologies in public governance. Through conceptual frameworks, real-world case studies, and forward-looking insights, the book navigates towards more optimal outcomes, soliciting stakeholder inputs and refining concepts along the way. By presenting diverse perspectives from various disciplinary angles, including public administration, public policy, computer science, economics, philosophy, and innovation governance, the book offers valuable insights for a wide-ranging audience of scholars and practitioners alike.

Usman W. Chohan is an international economist and academic who serves as Advisor on Economic Affairs and National Development at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), one of Pakistan’s premier research-based think tanks, where he was a founding director.

Sven Van Kerckhoven is Associate Professor of Political Economics at the Brussels School of Governance (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), where he also serves as Vice-Dean for Education. He also is a professorial fellow at the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies.