Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book defines the ‘smart city’, by way of linking this concept to the recent history of urban science. It discusses the socioeconomic rationality of neoliberal urbanism sits comfortably with algorithmic rationality and forms of governance promoted by the ‘smart city’ discourse. The book offers a panoramic on the Living Labs phenomenon, mapping its current configurations in relation to the transformation of urban space. It discusses ethical hacking and Living Labs in the neoliberal ‘smart city’, citizen science and crowdsourcing from the communitarian perspective, and the sometimes explicit policy goal of creating smart districts and ‘cool’ places with a rising tag on private dwellings. The book discusses the roles of cities on the move, providing a first outlook on policies, processes, and practices which are challenging current mainstream ideas of urban growth and entrepreneurial urbanism.