Experimenting With the Urban: Politics, Discourses and Practices of the Smart City and Datification

Abstract

In recent years the concept of smart city has been prominently featuring in urban discourses and practices. Indeed, it has become a label many metropolis desire for themselves. Smart urbanism is based on the premise that cities can become more efficient and sustainable through the application of technological solutions. However, what are the scenarios and socio-technical consequences that can be associated with augmentation of smart devices and algorithms within the city? This article addresses some of the contemporary debates and analytical challenges that emerge from the notion of smart cities. Taking interpretative keys from Science and Technology Studies (STS), this paper analyzes the experimental nature of the concept of smart cities and the effects of datafication over urban spaces and individuals. Using Strenger’s figure of the idiot, this article concludes with a critical reflection on the vision of city that the smart city paradigm contains.