Paths of Digital twins in the public sector. A systematic review of the social sciences literature

Digital twins (Dt) technology is a remarkable revolution of our time, with the potential to disrupt all aspects of the public sector, government, and society. Combined with the rapid advancement of algorithms and related innovative technologies such as Artificial intelligence (Ai), blockchain, and Machine learning, using Dt opens a new and wide range of opportunities for the public sector. This article provides a systematic literature review on Dt, mapping and exploring the existing social science literature, to specify the scope and the nature of the concept and analyze the operational definitions of Dt and the relevance of the concept. The article is structured as follows. First, using the Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (Prisma) method, it gives an overview of the search criteria and the sample of records. Second, it reflects critically on the historical development of the concept of Dt and highlights its basic elements and ambiguities, shedding light on the theoretical and empirical gaps in the existing literature. Third, it explores the main initiatives and applications of the use of Dt, and argues that political science has much to offer in advancing global understanding of this emerging technology.