Dissertation overview
Topic Overview: This dissertation will explore the role of blockchain technology in transforming electoral systems. It will delve into the advancements made, the challenges encountered, and the broader implications for democratic governance.
Discourse focus: broadly summarise the academic and/or public discussion around the use of blockchain in democratic elections (e.g., citation analysis of different academic communities, thematic analysis of the different themes covered in these discourse and their relative prevalence, etc. etc.)
Possible Theoretical Debates:
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Digital Democracy vs. Traditional Electoral Integrity: Engagement with the debate between proponents of digital democracy, who argue for the transformative potential of blockchain, and traditionalists who emphasize the tried-and-tested methods of electoral integrity. (Exploring this from a tech standpoint)
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Techno-optimism vs. Techno-skepticism: Exploring the tension between techno-optimism, which views technology as a panacea for electoral flaws, and techno-skepticism, which warns of over-reliance on technology and potential unforeseen consequences. (Exploring this from a tech standpoint)
Research Questions:
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How has blockchain technology been integrated into electoral systems globally?
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What are the key challenges faced in implementing blockchain in electoral processes?
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In what ways does blockchain technology impact the principles of democratic governance?
Relevant Links/articles/scholarly articles
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Designing an E-Voting Framework Using Blockchain Technology: A Case Study of Oman (currently donβt have access) – https://www.igi-global.com/article/designing-an-e-voting-framework-using-blockchain-technology/298203
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An Analytical View on Political Voting System using Blockchain Technology – UAE Case Study – https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9075074
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Process Digitalization using Blockchain: EU Parliament Elections Case Study – https://www.scitepress.org/PublishedPapers/2021/102290/102290.pdf
Development of a Distributed Blockchain eVoting System – https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3345035.3345080