State and Civil Society in the Digital Age: a Search for Methodological Approaches

Abstract

Digitalization has affected all aspects of modern life, changing the economy, the commercial and social sectors, utilities, and, of course, the state and state - civil society relation. However, in some cases civil society, as an integral actor of future transformations, has been left behind the innovations which digital economy brings. To return civil society (and citizens) into the agenda of the digital economy transformation it may be useful to look at the theoretical developments of economists, political scientists and philosophers and practice of the political actors which may give us a relatively complete overview of the current situation. The paper considers the most common regulatory and empirical theories on this issue: the network society model, the co-management model, platform capitalism and surveillance capitalism, the concept of the right to the city, and the theory of global civil society. Basing on the named metodological approaches the authors have examined the declarations and reality of living during digatal age of the largest international actor - the UN and their home country - Russia. By combining theory and practice the authors suggest list of the main challenges faced by the state including the declining role of the national state, the marketing of management, the need to provide co-governance opportunities to members of civil society, and the changes in the hierarchical structure of state power.