Addressing Social and Spatial Inequality with Digitally Based Mobility? The Case of Cape Town, South Africa

K. Pfeffer, H. Verrest, E. Peyroux, O. Ninot, J. Schelle

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractAcademic

Abstract

In their presentation, Prof. Karin Pfeffer and Dr. Hebe Verrest focused on the issue of (in)equality in the context of the Smart City concept. According to the presenters, Smart City approaches have become a popular urban planning policy approach of cities across the globe. How Smart City policies operate in contemporary cities is being examined in the emerging, but still underdeveloped, academic field of ‘smart urbanism’. Pfeffer and Verrest discussedthe case of Cape Town,South Africa, where the bus rapid transit system MyCiTi has recently been implemented. Cape Town is characterized by a socio-economically highly unequal society with a fragmentedand highly segregated urban form and structure. The implementation of MyCiTi aimed at reducing inequality by creating a sustainable transport system,which provides access to urban resources and economic opportunities across social groups. However, the presenters stressed that increased significance of digitalization in realizing urban mobility in Cape Town as well as the opportunities it offers, raiseethical questions in the context of social and spatial (in)equality.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2018
EventDigitalisation in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Technology, Development, and Justice 2018 - Tubingen, Germany
Duration: 26 Sept 201827 Sept 2018
https://www.da-ethics2018.de/

Conference

ConferenceDigitalisation in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Technology, Development, and Justice 2018
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityTubingen
Period26/09/1827/09/18
Internet address

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