Abstract

Many cities around the world have adopted digital technologies to combat COVID-19, but they have experienced varying degrees of success. This research developed an analytical framework involving the components of “preparation”, “praxis”, and “paradox” regarding a city’s leveraging of digital infrastructure for pandemic governance. Then, the case of Hangzhou is employed to illustrate this framework. This research finds that (1) the application of digital technologies should be a systematic arrangement based on institutional and technological preparations, (2) innovative governance instruments supported by digital infrastructure can be developed to respond to a variety of practical scenarios, and (3) adopting a paradox lens aids in mitigating potential negative socio-economic consequences. This research suggests that leveraging digital infrastructure for pandemic governance requires a coherent system that has the potential to aid cities around the world in better managing public health crises going forward.

摘要

世界上许多城市都采用了数字技术来对抗 COVID-19，但它们取得了不同程度的成功。这项研究开发了一个分析框架，涉及“准备”、“实践”和“悖论”的组成部分，涉及城市利用数字基础设施进行大流行病治理。然后，杭州的案例被用来说明这个框架。本研究发现：（1）数字技术的应用应该是基于制度和技术准备的系统性安排，（2）可以开发数字基础设施支持的创新治理工具，以应对各种实际场景，以及（3）采用悖论视角有助于减轻潜在的负面社会经济后果。