Cultural Biases in the Smart City: Implications and Challenges

Smart cities are a hot topic that is attracting a lot of intellectual and economic resources. Given the expectations posed on this new concept of urban development, this is clearly understandable. Nonetheless a significant number of scholars question such a model for being too optimistic and oftentimes wrong when challenged. This research delves into the smart city paradigm to uncover potential embedded biases that may hinder its ability to fulfil its overarching goals. It begins by reframing the discourse on smart cities as a collective project, revealing beneath its seemingly fragmented surface a cohesive effort to ensure urban sustainability. This shift in perspective forms the basis of the research and allows for a comprehensive analysis of the Smart City Project (SCP), starting with the recognition of the roots of its overall objective and expected outcomes. The findings provide compelling evidence for the hypothesis put forward: the SCP, rooted in Western origins, has inherent cultural biases that have a significant impact on its ability to deal effectively with the complex challenges it seeks to address. Moreover, these insights shed light on how these culturally biased assumptions can distort priorities, favoring technological advancements and economic gains over critical considerations of social justice and environmental sustainability. In conclusion, acknowledging the Eurocentric underpinnings of the SCP does not deny its positive aspects or ignore its values and achievements. Rather, it serves to clarify its non-natural and non-apolitical stance, placing it within a broader landscape of epistemological and ethical options. This study underscores the importance of critically examining and addressing these biases to guide the future development of smart cities toward more equitable and sustainable urban environments.