Beyond separate silos: identifying convergent themes in digital social innovation and air quality management

Abstract

Air pollution remains a critical global challenge, necessitating a shift from traditional, top-down management toward dynamic, inclusive governance. While Air Quality and Pollution Management (AQPM) has historically focused on technical optimization and regulatory compliance, the complexity of modern pollution dynamics requires integrating technological advancements with active social participation. Digital Social Innovation (DSI) offers tools to bridge this gap, yet the intersection of these fields remains underexplored. This study maps the thematic connections between DSI and AQPM through a bibliometric analysis and topic modelling of 442 documents from the Web of Science (1975–2025). Results indicate that DSI and AQPM operate as structurally independent domains with minimal cross-field integration. AQPM has matured into a consolidated discipline centered on measurement, modelling, and health accountability, whereas DSI appears as a fragmented, emerging theme focused on participatory platforms. However, the analysis identifies five key areas of convergence: digital infrastructures for smart urban systems, participatory data governance, co-creative policy design, addressing inequality, and regional adaptation. The findings highlight a “strategic gap' where technical capacity for real-time monitoring exceeds the institutional mechanisms required to translate data into equitable action. The study concludes that while digital tools offer the “socio-technical glue' to democratize air quality governance, realizing this potential requires overcoming the digital divide and designing interoperable, inclusive frameworks. Future research must prioritize longitudinal impact assessments and “equity by design' strategies to transform citizen-generated data into legitimate, policy-relevant environmental intelligence.