Political economy of smart cities and the human rights: From corporative technocracy to sensibility

Abstract

This research presents a critique of smart cities, to conceive a technological city opposed to the corporate colonization of digital networks, to algorithmic governmentality and to surveillance capitalism. Methodologically, it is a literature review with qualitative approach and dialectical procedure. It is concluded that the role of participatory citizen should be resumed through the (re)appropriation of information and communication technologies, creating a city sensitive to social differences. Furthermore, the article proposes that, even though the Internet brings the promise of broadening the means of access to political participation, the reality points to a scenario permeated by the exploitation of personal data and the reduction of the citizen s questioning role to a mere consumer. Also, as a scientific legacy, the article provides theoretical support for future research that seeks to understand the smart city from the critique of political economy.