Digital Tech in Emergencies

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Digital technologies are transforming the core functions, power dynamics, and global positioning of modern states. They have become central to how governments respond to polycrises, ranging from war and political violence to pandemics and climate disasters. Digital identity and payment systems are vital when people are displaced by conflict and need security and support, while data-sharing and cloud-based systems are critical for ensuring continuity of government operations during disruption. This course examines how emerging technologies are adapted in moments of crisis, exploring both their potential to enhance human security and the new vulnerabilities they create. Students will critically analyze the dual-use nature of public-interest technologies in military and civilian contexts, such as the use of civic platforms for crowdsourced intelligence in occupied territories, and the evolution of technology (f.e. drones) in asymmetric warfare. Through case studies, including Ukraine’s wartime digital innovation, Israel’s cybersecurity and resilience strategies, Taiwan’s civil defense networks, Estonia’s interoperable digital infrastructure, and Russia’s weaponization of cyber and information space, students will explore how states build digital capacity and sovereignty. The role of international organizations, such as the UN and humanitarian digital response networks, will also be examined in addressing displacement, education, welfare access, and cross-border coordination. Core topics include digital sovereignty, digital public infrastructure, interoperability, human-centered design, data governance and privacy, cybersecurity, defense tech, dual use, open-source ecosystems, global standards, and the international diffusion of digital tools (e.g., Estonia’s X-Road, IndiaStack, Ukraine’s Diia). Through simulations, policy design exercises, and scenario planning, students will assess the promise and peril of digital government in an era defined by geopolitical competition, emerging technologies, and the blurred boundaries between civilian and military digital systems.