Digital innovation and shelter theory: exploring Estonia’s e-Residency, Data Embassy, and cross-border e-governance initiatives

ABSTRACT

This article utilizes shelter theory as a framework to understand some of Estonia’s contemporary digital innovations. Specifically, this article focuses on three contemporary developments: the e-Residency program; the Data Embassy; and the development of cross-border e-governance. These initiatives are analyzed in the context of the key criteria of shelter theory: political, economic, and societal shelter. The article concludes that while traditionally Estonia has relied heavily upon the European Union and NATO for political shelter within the international system, these digital innovations might be conceptualized as supplementary forms of shelter for Estonia with varying degrees of effectiveness.

KEYWORDS:

• Estonia
• Data Embassy
• E-residency
• cross-border e-governance
• digital innovation
• shelter theory
• E-Estonia
• X-Road

Acknowledgments

This research would not have been possible without the generous contributions of the research participants, and I would extend my gratitude to all who gave their time to help with this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was conducted during the author’s doctoral research project funded by the Leverhulme trust. Additional funding was also received from the DORA+ Doctoral Mobility fund of the Republic of Estonia (Ref: No 11-15/OO/78).

Notes on contributors

Alex Hardy

Alex Hardy is an interdisciplinary researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London, focused on e-governance, cyber strategy, and cyber geopolitics. He now works as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool.