On April 22, 2025, the Fudan Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) organized the 71st lecture of the Fudan-LSE Lecture Series. Professor Minna van Gerven from the University of Helsinki, Finland, delivered a lecture on the theme of From Digital to Datafied Welfare States: The Changing Welfare Governance in the Era of Algorithmic Systems, which was chaired by Yijia Jing, Dean of IGPP. Dr. Lijianan Zhang of IGPP serves as the commentator.

Professor Minna van Gerven is professor of Social Policy at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She specializes in social policy transformation, digitalization of public administration and comparative welfare state research. Her research recently focuses on the role of technology in welfare systems, with particular interest in how automation, AI and digital tools shape public service delivery.

Professor van Gerven began by outlining the broader trend of welfare states shifting from digitalization to datafication, highlighting how the deep integration of digital infrastructure and public services is driving the emergence of new models of welfare governance. She analyzed the core characteristics of the digital welfare state from three key dimensions: technological, legal, and social rights. Technologically, digitalization improves administrative efficiency through automation and algorithmic systems. Legally, although privacy protections are emphasized, tensions arise between risk regulation and technological innovation. From the perspective of social rights, datafication not only reconfigures the logic of social security distribution but also prompts renewed debates on social justice.

Professor van Gerven further examined the practical implications of the datafied welfare state, noting that the widespread accumulation of data is subtly reshaping the relationship between the state and its citizens. She noted that while data standardization enhances administrative efficiency, it can also risk oversimplifying individuals’ complex circumstances and diverse needs. As automated decision-making becomes increasingly embedded in public service processes, she emphasized that ensuring transparency, fairness, and inclusivity is an urgent challenge for policymakers.

During the Q&A session, faculty and students raised questions, including the evolving relationship between AI and human. Professor van Gerven advocated for a dialectical perspective on AI, underscoring the guiding principle of “people first, technology second.” She emphasized that technology must remain a tool in service of human judgment and values.

On behalf of the IGPP, Professor Jing presented a gift to Professor van Gerven, and the lecture concluded successfully with a group photo.