Key Themes and Conceptual Frameworks for a Smart-Inclusive City: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Despite the growing significance of smartness and inclusivity in urban development, the concept of a city that integrates both remains unclear. This study explores existing literature, clarifies underlying themes and proposes a conceptual framework for a smart-inclusive city. The scoping review identifies four key themes where the concepts intersect across social, political, spatial, and environmental domains. The framework positions inclusivity as the city's goal and smartness as the means, highlighting their complementarity, and suggests strategies based on two principles of citizen-centered processes and equitable benefit-sharing outcomes. This enhances our understanding and preparedness for achieving both agendas in a balanced manner.