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Where’s Wally? In Search of Citizen Perspectives on the Smart City

Author

Listed:
  • Vanessa Thomas

    (HighWire Centre for Doctoral Training, Lancaster University, Bailrigg LA1 4YW, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Ding Wang

    (HighWire Centre for Doctoral Training, Lancaster University, Bailrigg LA1 4YW, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Louise Mullagh

    (HighWire Centre for Doctoral Training, Lancaster University, Bailrigg LA1 4YW, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Nick Dunn

    (ImaginationLancaster, LICA/Lancaster University, Bailrigg LA1 4YW, UK)

Abstract

This paper builds upon an earlier conference publication by the authors, offering contributions based on a systematic literature review and qualitative study. The paper begins by drawing attention to the paucity of “citizen”—more appropriately, “situated”—perspectives on what a smart city should and could be. The paper then addresses that absence by detailing a research project that explored how people in London, Manchester, and Glasgow responded to the smart city concept. Participants were asked questions regarding their prior familiarity with the phrase “smart city”, their thoughts relating to what it means for a city to be smart, and what a “true” smart city might mean to them. The paper analyses and offers a synthesis of the responses collected throughout the research with the dominant rhetoric about smart cities, as identified through a recent systematic literature review, thereby providing a critical assessment of the values underlying the smart city. It aims to explore and present some of the expectations that citizens hold for their cities’ politicians, policy makers, planners, academics, and technology companies. We believe that these perspectives from citizens can be used to inform responsible development, spatially and socially inclusive technologies, and ultimately more resilient cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Vanessa Thomas & Ding Wang & Louise Mullagh & Nick Dunn, 2016. "Where’s Wally? In Search of Citizen Perspectives on the Smart City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:3:p:207-:d:64537
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert G. Hollands, 2008. "Will the real smart city please stand up?," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 303-320, December.
    2. Caragliu, A. & Del Bo, C. & Nijkamp, P., 2009. "Smart cities in Europe," Serie Research Memoranda 0048, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    3. Gemma Galdon-Clavell, 2013. "(Not so) smart cities?: The drivers, impact and risks of surveillance-enabled smart environments," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 40(6), pages 717-723, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Agnieszka Szczepańska & Rafał Kaźmierczak & Monika Myszkowska, 2023. "Smart City Solutions from a Societal Perspective—A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Ebru Tekin Bilbil, 2017. "The Operationalizing Aspects of Smart Cities: the Case of Turkey’s Smart Strategies," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(3), pages 1032-1048, September.
    3. Camboim, Guilherme Freitas & Zawislak, Paulo Antônio & Pufal, Nathália Amarante, 2019. "Driving elements to make cities smarter: Evidences from European projects," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 154-167.
    4. Isara Khanjanasthiti & Kayalvizhi Sundarraj Chandrasekar & Bhishna Bajracharya, 2021. "Making the Gold Coast a Smart City—An Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Brown, K. & Larionova, V. A. & Lally, V., 2018. "Lifelong learning as a tool for the development of smart cities: technology enhanced learning as an enabler," R-Economy, Ural Federal University, Graduate School of Economics and Management, vol. 4(4), pages 133-143.
    6. Julsrud, Dr. Tom Erik & Krogstad, Dr. Julie Runde, 2020. "Is there enough trust for the smart city? exploring acceptance for use of mobile phone data in oslo and tallinn," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    7. Lim, Chiehyeon & Cho, Gi-Hyoug & Kim, Jeongseob, 2021. "Understanding the linkages of smart-city technologies and applications: Key lessons from a text mining approach and a call for future research," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    8. Seema Mundoli & Hita Unnikrishnan & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "The “Sustainable” in smart cities: ignoring the importance of urban ecosystems," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 44(2), pages 103-120, June.

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