The Smart Enough City Putting Technology in Its Place to Reclaim Our Urban Future

Smart cities, where technology is used to solve every problem, are hailed as futuristic urban Utopias. But in The Smart Enough City, Ben Green warns against seeing the city only through the lens of technology. In a technology-centric smart city, self-driving cars have the run of downtown and force out pedestrians, civic engagement is limited to requesting services through an app, police use algorithms to justify and perpetuate racist practices, and governments and private companies surveil public space to control behavior. He proposes instead that cities strive to be "smart enough," employing technology to be livable, democratic, just, responsible, and innovative. By recognizing the complexity of urban life rather than merely seeing the city as something to optimize, these smart enough cities successfully incorporate technology into a holistic vision of justice and equity. Book jacket.