Reflecting on oikos and agora in smart cities context: Concluding remarks

Abstract

Smart cities, seen as a concept and policy strategy, have firmly established themselves as the key tenet of contemporary academic and political debates. The thrust of these debates is formed by the tacit recognition tha—if used in socially and ethically sensitive ways—information and communication technology (ICT)–enhanced tools and approaches may allow addressing challenges cities face very effectively. From a different angle, with the onset of sophisticated ICT, the social reality seems to have become more complex than ever, and the city space attests to it. As the traditional binary division between oikos (οίκος) and agora (αγορά) in city space has been challenged by the emergence of parallel channels of communication and consolidation of “virtual” public and private space, several foundational questions emerge. This chapter highlights them.