Securing Urban Peace: A Multi-Sited Ethnography of Smart City Infrastructures in Post-Conflict Societies

Objective

The research project investigates how smart city infrastructures impact peace in post-conflict societies. To do so, it compares the design, implementation, and use of smart city infrastructures in three post-conflict contexts: Northern Ireland (NI), South Africa (SA), and Sri Lanka (SL). It suggests thinking of these initiatives as socio-technical systems that are inherently diverse and traces how they are shaped by different actors, from city governments over technology start-ups to civil society organizations (CSOs).

Activities

The project is based on a multi-sited ethnography of smart city projects in Belfast (NI), Durban (SA), and Colombo (SL). In each context, the research will be implemented in coordination with the following partner institutions: Queen’s University Belfast, University of Cape Town, and University of Moratuwa.

In particular, the project will

→ Compare smart city designs across Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Sri Lanka
→ Engage with relevant stakeholders in each city to understand smart city implementation challenges
→ Work with CSOs and affected communities to understand how the use of smart city devices impacts everyday life

Relevance

The project will contribute to the systematic exploration of smart city projects in post-conflict contexts, through new conceptual perspectives and empirical insights. By producing critical reflections on the effects of smart cities on social cohesion, the project will be relevant to different stakeholders working on urban safety, peacebuilding, and smart technologies. Project outputs will be shared with partner organizations and disseminated through academic publications, policy briefs, and public-facing exhibitions.
 

Publications 

To follow soon