The Network State in the Blockchain Ecosystem:
Potential Impact on Global Governance
This research investigates the rise of Network States within blockchain ecosystems and their potential to reshape global governance paradigms. By combining conceptual analysis with immersive field research, it explores how decentralized technologies enable new forms of political organization beyond the nation-state, especially in the context of global systemic crises.
This doctoral project aims to critically assess the transformative potential of blockchain-enabled governance models in reimagining global political organization. Positioned at the intersection of Global South epistemologies, digital technology, and transnational governance, it contributes to the development of plural, decentralized futures by bridging academic theory, technological innovation, and political practice.
The current global governance architecture is increasingly unable to respond effectively to the interconnected crises of our era—ranging from ecological collapse to geopolitical instability—due to its reliance on centralized, often exclusionary institutions. This limitation is particularly acute when addressing issues of legitimacy, participation, and adaptability in a rapidly digitalizing world.
The study proposes Network States and blockchain-based governance systems as experimental but viable alternatives. These digitally-native political formations, structured through DAOs and smart contracts, offer the potential for radically transparent, participatory, and post-national modes of governance. Through theoretical and empirical methods, the research examines their practical feasibility, political legitimacy, and socio-technical implications.
This project operates under a hybrid model that bridges academic research, decentralized knowledge production, and blockchain-native governance experimentation. It combines public funding (grants and academic institutions), strategic partnerships with Web3 ecosystems (e.g. DAOs, protocol foundations), and open-access publication and dissemination. Value is generated through rigorous research, participatory fieldwork, and the development of policy-relevant and community-embedded frameworks for decentralized global governance.
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