This study proposes a two-layer framework for understanding how digital technologies shape collective action. We argue that digital monitoring can target both the general public and the frontline personnel responsible for implementing policy, and that these layers may operate jointly to influence collective action. Using administrative procurement records that capture the adoption of digital monitoring tools, we show that each layer is associated with reductions in mass incidents, with modest reinforcing effects. The findings connect research on and digital technologies in governance, bureaucratic principal–agent problems, and collective dynamics, offering new insight into how states manage social risks in contemporary settings.

About the speaker:

Han Zhang is the Young Family Assistant Professor of Sociology and International and Public Affairs at Brown University. His research interests include political sociology, social movements, computational social science, and quantitative methodology. His work has appeared in Social Forces, Sociological Methodology, Sociological Methods & Research, Socio-Economic Review, Mobilization, and The China Quarterly, among others. He serves on the editorial board of Sociological Methodology and has received best paper awards from the American Sociological Association and the International Communication Association. He holds a PhD in Sociology from Princeton University and a BS in Computer Science and a BA in History from Peking University.

📅 Date: Friday, December 12, 2025

🕑 Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

📍 Venue: CJT-9.29

🗣️ Language: English

🔗 Register here: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=104187