Digital Peace Infrastructures in Fragile States: Technology, Trust, and Inclusive Governance

Abstract

The study explores how digital infrastructures function as instruments of both inclusion and exclusion in fragile and transitional societies. Its primary objective was to conceptualize and evaluate Digital Peace Infrastructures as institutional frameworks that shape legitimacy, participation, and resilience in the digital age. Through a comparative analysis of three distinct regional contexts—the Horn of Africa, the Western Balkans, and South and Southeast Asia—the research investigates how digital governance, connectivity, and counter-disinformation mechanisms interact to influence trust and stability. The study introduces an original conceptual model based on three analytical indices—the Digital Trust Index, the Participation Connectivity Index, and the Disinformation Vulnerability Index—designed to measure how digital systems contribute to peacebuilding outcomes. The findings reveal that digital transformation is inherently political and that institutional design determines whether technological innovation enhances or erodes legitimacy. Inclusive participation, transparency, and accountability emerge as decisive factors for sustaining digital trust, while inadequate literacy and unequal access reinforce exclusion and polarization. The study’s scientific novelty lies in reframing digital infrastructures as governance ecosystems rather than neutral technological tools, highlighting their role as dynamic arenas where legitimacy and truth are negotiated. Practically, the research provides a replicable framework for policymakers seeking to embed accountability-by-design principles and strengthen counter-disinformation capacity in peacebuilding strategies. It concludes that institutional reflexivity—the capacity to adapt and remain accountable—is vital to ensuring that digitalization functions as a foundation for inclusive governance and sustainable peace rather than a source of renewed fragility.