Smart cities research and debate: What is in there?

Abstract

Several developments have led to an increased interest, and a resultant debate, on the possible use of information and communication technology in cities and urban space. As the debate gains on momentum, a great number of new insights populate the field, thus ostensibly redefining it and delineating its disciplinary boundaries anew. Interestingly, if smart cities are the buzzword of the popular debate today, sustainability has become the keyword defining the thrust of that debate. This volume recognizes the scope, the breadth, and the illuminating insights that scholars active in the field have brought to the debate over the past decades, thereby adding to our knowledge and understanding of the variety of issues and topics pertinent to smart cities. Against this backdrop, this chapter dwells on the conceptual caveats inherent in smart cities research and outlines the scope of the book.