More than smart technology: a conceptual framework for Smart Countryside

Abstract

Up to now, there is no equivalent to the smart city concept for rural areas. Such a concept can draw on the findings and ex-periences from the urban context, but must adequately take into account the characteristics and structures of rural areas. This is where the enrolment of a concept for smart countryside in this paper starts as an action-oriented framework. Through an integrative consideration of current trends and tendencies, normative debates about equality and justice as well as possi-bilities in various fields of action, it includes development op-tions that become possible through digitalisation and ‘smart’ implementation. Their realisation should be strongly demand-driven. The concept includes also governance processes and knowledge management, and the application of co-design ap-proaches. Development potentials of digitalisation are seen beyond simple technology orientation. The concept of digi-talisation presented here can contribute to a more compre-hensive transformation of rural areas towards sustainability. It formulates a joint design mandate for politics, society and science.