Digital Society in the Making: Technological Innovation, Social Change and Education
A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 633
Special Issue Editors
Interests: digital society; education and technology; ICT in education; social change and digital transformation; digital inequalities; artificial intelligence and society; datafication; digital governance; critical perspectives on educational technology; inclusive education; intercultural diversity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: higher education; ICT; educational technology; digital transformation quality in education; educational evaluation; innovation in teaching and learning; cultural heritage and education; technology-enhanced learning; educational management
Interests: higher education; educational management; complex thinking; statistics; educational psychology; criminal law; criminal profiling; biostatistics; artificial intelligence; digital society; technology; learning methodologies
Interests: digital society; education; technology; best practices; innovation; artificial intelligence and educational impact
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Digital technologies are transforming contemporary societies worldwide, reshaping social relationships, institutional structures, cultural practices, and forms of governance. The digital society is a dynamic and evolving process characterized by technological innovation, social interaction, and human diversity, resulting in heterogeneous outcomes. This Special Issue, "Digital Society in the Making: Technological Innovation, Social Change, and Education," aims to provide a critical and interdisciplinary analysis of the interplay between technological innovation and processes of social change, highlighting emerging opportunities and challenges.
The overall focus of this Special Issue is on the reciprocal relationship between digital technology and social transformation, emphasizing how educational, social, cultural, political, and economic contexts mutually influence their development. Special attention is given to educational processes, digital literacy, and the role of learning environments in shaping digital societies. Contributions that transcend techno-deterministic approaches are encouraged, analyzing the co-construction of technology and society with critical and analytical rigor.
The scope of the Special Issue encompasses empirical studies, conceptual analyses, and reviews addressing various dimensions of digital transformation, including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence, datafication, platform economies, digital labor, algorithmic governance, online participation, digital education, cybersecurity, and social inequalities associated with digitalization. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches are welcome, as are analyses of local, national, or global contexts.
The purpose is to advance sociological debates on digital transformation, fostering critical reflection on how technological innovation reshapes social structures, power relations, and everyday life. It seeks to promote interdisciplinary dialog among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, highlighting the transformative potential of digital technologies and their unforeseen social consequences.
This Special Issue complements the existing literature by integrating critical theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence. It emphasizes the social, ethical, and structural implications of digitalization to foster a comprehensive understanding of the digital society in the making, incorporating diverse perspectives and paying attention to the experiences of historically underrepresented groups and regions.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Basantes-Andrade
Prof. Dr. Miguel Naranjo-Toro
Dr. Luz Marina Pereira
Dr. Mari-Carmen Caldeiro-Pedreira
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- digital society
- technological innovation
- social change
- digital transformation
- digital education
- digital inequality
- human diversity
- datafication, inclusive education, intercultural diversity
- platform economy
- artificial intelligence
- datafication
- algorithmic governance
- sociology of technology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
