Working Group 18: The Political Economy of the Green–Digital Transition

Coordinators:

Description 

This working group explores the so-called green–digital (or “twin”) transition from a critical political-economic perspective. Current discussions on the twin transition often oscillate between an optimistic view that highlights the potential of digitalisation to enable and accelerate decarbonisation, and a critical view that typically remains confined to case-specific analyses or to rebound effects (e.g. energy efficiency), leaving broader questions of power, class relations, and geopolitics under-examined.

We welcome contributions situated anywhere along this spectrum but are particularly interested in critical and conflict-oriented perspectives on how digitalisation and decarbonisation are reshaping contemporary capitalism. We especially encourage work drawing on critical data studies, critical social theory, political economy, heterodox economics, emphasising questions of class, labour, value, control, and resistance.

We aim to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue among scholars of political economy, sociology, economics, philosophy, political science, critical data studies, energy and environmental governance, and related fields.

Planned activities

  • The sessions will consist of paper presentations followed by a roundtable discussion among presenters and invited commentators. A short open discussion with the audience will conclude the session.

Format: Two onsite sessions (with the possibility of hybrid participation upon request)

Accepted presentations

Session one – Friday 27, 12:15-13:45

  • From Self-Doubt to Social Symbiosis: Enabling Worker Inclusion in Transition Processes (Joaquin Zenteno Hopp, Hilde G. Corneliussen, Cheshta Arora) (Online presentation)
  • Digitalisation as a Factor of Decarbonisation? A Macroeconomic Panel Analysis of the Role of Digitalisation in Carbon Emissions Reduction in the EU and Globally (Alexandra Korcheva) (Online presentation)
  • Energy Data, Value, and Control: Rethinking Data Governance in Smart Grids (Paul Arteaga)

Session Two – Friday 27, 14:15-15:45

  • The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Interrogating the Rhetorical Roots of the Green-Digital Transition (Christopher Chagnon)
  • Brazil’s Blended Climate Finance: A Critical Perspective (Rafael de Acypreste)
  • Financialized renewables: boom and bust of Brazilian wind energy investment (Victor Moreira, Edemilson Paraná, Rodrigo Santaella Gonçalves)

You can find the detailed timetable here: https://www.kehitystutkimus.fi/conference/programme-2026