FIRE Watchers: The Centrality of Surveillance (Studies) for Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

Abstract

The deepening integration of the technology sector with the FIRE sector (finance, insurance, real estate) is, arguably, one of the most consequential developments in contemporary political economy. With names like fintech, insurtech, and proptech, the influence of these industries can be found everywhere and only continues to grow. At their heart, the rise of FIRE-tech is about upgrading old and building new forms of surveillance and then applying them to increasingly more people, places, and processes. And yet, critical research on FIRE-tech from the field of surveillance studies has not kept pace with these developments. This special issue offers us a chance to look back on the contributions made by the field and look ahead at the challenges it now faces. As we think about the issues and agendas that should guide our research moving forward, there is value in bringing surveillance studies and FIRE-tech into closer alignment. Doing so provides an opportunity to increase the analytical power and ongoing relevance of the field by critically confronting the development, purpose, and impact of FIRE-tech. In short, we should frame FIRE as surveillance and we should see surveillance via FIRE.