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Journals / İmgelem / 2026 / Sayı: 19

Observational Sovereignty: Algorithmic Surveillance as Political Representation

Gözlemsel Egemenlik: Siyasi Temsiliyet Olarak Algoritmik Gözetim

Serpil Seda Şimşek(Jandarma ve Sahil Güvenlik Akademisi, Güvenlik Bilimleri Fakültesi)0000-0001-8016-5566
Journal
İmgelem
Pages
290–320
Publication Date
2026-05-31
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study introduces the concept of observational sovereignty as a contribution to surveillance studies, sovereignty theory, and representation theory, and discusses the implications of this form of sovereignty, in which authority derives from the power to know rather than the right to rule, for democratic accountability.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Algorithmic surveillance systems produce representations that carry political authority independent of democratic deliberation, thereby transforming the epistemic foundations of political sovereignty.
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Key Findings & Data:This study proposes the concept of “observational sovereignty” to theorize this transformation and investigates how algorithmic surveillance functions as political representation.
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Conclusion & Impact:The study introduces the concept of observational sovereignty as a contribution to surveillance studies, sovereignty theory, and representation theory, and discusses the implications of this form of sovereignty, in which authority derives from the power to know rather than the right to rule, for democratic accountability.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Gözlemsel Egemenlik · Gözetim Çalışmaları · Epistemik Altyapı

Abstract

Algorithmic surveillance systems produce representations that carry political authority independent of democratic deliberation, thereby transforming the epistemic foundations of political sovereignty. This study proposes the concept of “observational sovereignty” to theorize this transformation and investigates how algorithmic surveillance functions as political representation. China’s social credit system, US predictive justice algorithms, EU biometric border infrastructures, and pandemic contact tracing applications were examined through comparative institutional analysis using theory-driven qualitative document analysis. The analysis reveals that all systems share the mechanisms of continuous observation, representation production, and observation-based authorization regardless of regime type or domain of application. At the same time, while surveillance is legitimized through explicit pedagogical discourse in authoritarian contexts, it is concealed behind techno-scientific rationality in democratic ones; yet in both cases, deliberative representation mechanisms are rendered inoperative. The study introduces the concept of observational sovereignty as a contribution to surveillance studies, sovereignty theory, and representation theory, and discusses the implications of this form of sovereignty, in which authority derives from the power to know rather than the right to rule, for democratic accountability.

Özet

Algoritmik gözetim sistemleri, demokratik müzakereden bağımsız biçimde siyasi otorite taşıyan temsiller üretmekte ve bu yolla siyasi egemenliğin epistemik temellerini dönüştürmektedir. Bu çalışma, söz konusu dönüşümü açıklamak amacıyla “gözlemsel egemenlik” kavramını önermekte ve algoritmik gözetimin nasıl siyasi temsiliyet işlevi gördüğünü soruşturmaktadır. Çin sosyal kredi sistemi, ABD öngörücü adalet algoritmaları, AB biyometrik sınır altyapıları ve pandemi temas takip uygulamaları, teorik çerçeve güdümlü niteliksel belge analizi yöntemiyle karşılaştırmalı kurumsal analiz çerçevesinde incelenmiştir. Analiz, tüm sistemlerin rejim türünden ve uygulama alanından bağımsız olarak sürekli gözlem, temsil üretimi ve gözlem-temelli yetkilendirme mekanizmalarını ortak biçimde taşıdığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bununla birlikte, otoriter bağlamlarda gözetim pedagojik söylemle açıkça meşrulaştırılırken demokratik bağlamlarda tekno-bilimsel rasyonalite arkasına gizlenmekte; ancak her iki durumda da müzakereci temsiliyet mekanizmaları devre dışı kalmaktadır. Çalışma, gözetim çalışmaları, egemenlik teorisi ve temsiliyet teorisi literatürlerine katkı olarak gözlemsel egemenlik kavramını tanıtırken, otoritenin yönetme hakkından değil bilme gücünden türediği bu egemenlik biçiminin demokratik hesap verebilirlik için doğurduğu sonuçları tartışmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Şimşek, S. S. (2026). Observational Sovereignty: Algorithmic Surveillance as Political Representation. İmgelem, Sayı: 19, 290–320. https://doi.org/10.53791/imgelem.1884657

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