Socio-political Approach of the City

Description

Objectives: To give students the tools for a critical lecture about the elusive concept of smart cities. Understand how the concept is born, developed and used by several entities (IO, specialists, multinationals, population). Have an overview of a wide range of smart cities in the world (developed and developing Learning outcomes: countries). Have tools for interpretation and critical evaluation of the concept, its development and its use. Emergence of the concept of smart city (UNESCO, A journey through smart cities), Presentation of the multitude of definitions of smart city (Council definition, specialists, S1 (3 hours): administrators...), what is a “smart city” What is the popular understanding of a smart city (examples based on studies), Explication of cases studies that students will conduct and who aims to prove or not the needs to establish a smart city and its efficiency for the citizen’s wellness. S2 (3 hours): Different understanding and perception of the concept of smart city between developed What is a smart city approach and developing countries (The World Bank, Smart City in Developing Countries), for developed and developing Presentation of 4 cases studies, 2 in developed countries and 2 in developing countries country cities (20 minutes for each presentation and 10 minutes debate). Presentation of various points of view, for example the critical view of smart cities raising questions about the commercial interest of large multinational companies (Elke Rauth). Content: S3 (3 hours): Presentation of 4 cases studies on ancient and new intelligent practices in “non smart Do we need smart cities? cities” developed by societies in order to facilitate their daily life (20 minutes for each presentation and 10 minutes debate). Presentation (1 hour) of the emergence of the smart city in Beirut: society’s initiatives S4 (3 hours): and their limits to achieve the large public. The role of the government in supporting Smart city or smart society? those initiatives. The case of Beirut Presentation of 4 cases studies on emerging smart cities (20 minutes for each presentation and 10 minutes debate). S5 (3 hours): Elaboration of a summary report on the different notions of smart city, the work will be Conclusion based on the students’ reflexion.