Rob Kitchin (2014) has enumerated five concerns to urban data. Select one of them and compare it to another author/s selected in the bibliography. A case study of urban data can be used to articulate the response. Consider data’s format, scale and openness, as well as it’s relation to Big Data.
What are the theory and politics surrounding urban data? We will look at policy making urban data, like land use and geographic data, census & demographic data, traffic – mobility & flow data; as well as other types of urban data from social media and twitter to noise, urban lights and urban heat. We will discuss the implications of Public and Open Data and Big Data of Cities.
In line with the learning outcomes of the module, your essay or essays should take this material and resources when addressing one or more of the following, in terms of cities and urban environments:
how technological developments are shaping and transforming cities and urban environments;
the advantages, challenges and feasibility of ‘smart’ technologies;
the implications of information and communication technologies and big data;
the methodological and epistemological challenges involved in conducting inter-disciplinary research on cities using open data sets;
the ways in which urban data is transforming traditional social research practices and processes;
urban data in relation to specific urban challenges.
Guidelines:
- – Develop your own essay title based on the content you select and/or your approach. Personal titles
- – Please use specific examples to explain and examine the theory that underpins each of the case studies that you use. Your essay may examine a variety of examples or focus on 1 case study in more detail. The selection of the examples and case studies may be influenced by your own interests or experiences, but should elaborate on rather than rely on those covered in the lectures. Whilst it is important to introduce the examples you use, please ensure that the details of the examples are relevant to the theories which are used in their analysis and/or critique. The essay should not be purely a description of data or technology (see below).
– Conceptual and analytical support. To personalise your essay you should also focus on particular theories or concepts that have arisen in the lectures, or within the readings. You are also encouraged to make links across the different lectures and topics. Remember, you are meant to demonstrate analytical capabilities, NOT only describing a piece of data or technology.
