Every day, we witness a mounting pile of grim news: wars, crises, and conflicts. At the Domain pulse conference in Vienna, organizational researcher Professor Dr. Dr. Ayad Al-Ani delineated cyberspace as a sanctuary, foreseeing a future where individuals unite within network states. He suggests a potential shift towards retreat into the virtual realm. In an interview, the scholar elaborates on why these groups may wield significant influence and the implications this holds for the future of nation-states.

You depict a retreat into the digital sphere. What makes cyberspaces and communities sanctuaries from the real world?
Al-Ani: Living in the physical world is becoming more difficult and unpredictable. Hence, cyberspace serves as a readily available and understandable sanctuary. We're all interconnected online: shopping, banking, even acquiring domains. The logical progression is to form communities that help and support each other. These become nations with inhabitants sharing common values and aspirations, regardless of birthplace or location, as cyberspace transcends geographic constraints.

Are there already examples of such communities?  
Al-Ani: One example is Afropolitan, which constitutes a network of African programmers constructing their own virtual community, transcending physical boundaries to offer mutual assistance. Another instance is Armenia, a nation in the Caucasus region that has experienced significant territorial losses in conflict with Azerbaijan. Now, the Armenian government endeavors to unite Armenians across the globe through an online platform. Similarly, the Tunisian government seeks to assemble programmers working in Europe into a cohesive network. For instance, they offer opportunities for winter stays in Tunisia, enabling individuals to access the country's services like healthcare and fab labs for product "printing". These platforms offer benefits to participants without requiring them to become citizens of the countries hosting them. Thus, countries like Tunisia, Armenia, and Dubai are actively pursuing shares of this emerging paradigm by establishing cloud-associated "states", aiming to attract some of the approximately 35 million globally dispersed companies that do not rely on fixed geographical locations.

What advantages do these countries hope to gain from this?
Al-Ani: They seek access to talent that drives innovation and enables them to compete globally. This enhances the country's power. Therefore, there will undoubtedly be competition: Where do the most innovative people go? Where can I find the best conditions? These communities will thus become increasingly influential. Each of us may potentially hold two or more citizenships in the future: One in the physical country, which we have by birth and couldn't choose, and another in the virtual realm, which we can choose for ourselves. People will gravitate towards places where they find others who think similarly to themselves.

Will these communities be democratically organized?
Al-Ani: In this context, the cloud communities won't operate as democracies since democracies rely on majority decisions. This poses challenges in online communities because there's constant concern about what happens to members who are outnumbered. They can easily depart with a click. Consequently, these communities strive to reach a broad consensus. However, the drawback is that decision-making through consensus takes considerable time.

Will nation-states still be needed in the future?
Al-Ani: Conventional forecasts indicate that nation-states will face challenges. The future community embodies an autonomous group comprising individuals who share a mutual affinity. This signifies a regression to the original concept of small-group institutions. The question remains whether nation-states will permit this transition. I don't perceive nation-states exiting the stage abruptly anytime soon. Global conflicts and disputes persist, serving as justification for their internal hierarchy. They assert: We are in conflict with another group; therefore we demand a certain level of obedience from you.

What positive impact can online communities have?
Al-Ani: My hypothesis is that these communities can wield significant influence, ultimately shaping the real world positively. States must engage with the members of these communities to leverage their talents effectively. They illustrate our capacity for cooperation and the potential for a world defined by collaboration rather than conflict. It's possible that new structures and democratic concepts may arise in the cloud, which could subsequently be implemented in the physical world.

Professor Dr. Dr. Ayad Al-Ani:
Ayad Al-Ani has been an associated member at the Einstein Center Digital Future in Berlin since 2019 and teaches at the School of Public Leadership at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He studied Economics and Political Science in Vienna and obtained a PhD in both fields. His work focuses on changes in organizations in economics and politics, as well as simultaneous transformations in society, economy, and education. Further details about the individual and their publications can be found at: https://ayad-al-ani.com/

Picture (c) Anna Rauchenberger