User:Berna Bereit SI24 Personal Reader

https://pad.xpub.nl/p/bernadette-geiger-t3-personal-reader

Frayling, C.: Research in Art and Design

Frayling, C., 1993. Research in Art and Design. Royal College of Art, London.

Where artists, craftspeople and designers are concerned, the word 'research' - the r word - sometimes seems to describe an activity which is a long way away from their respective practices. The spoken emphasis tends to be put on the first syllable -the re - as if research always involves going over old territory, while art, craft and design are of course concerned with the new. The word has traditionally been associated with; | obscure corners of specialised libraries, where solitary scholars live; | white-coated people in laboratories, doing esoteric things with test-tubes; | universities, rather than colleges; | arms length, rather than engagement; | artyfacts, rather than artefacts; | words not deeds.

Recently an opposing tendency has emerged - largely as the pragmatic result of decisions about government funding of higher education - where the word has come to be associated with: | what artists, craftspeople and designers do all the time anyway; | artefacts, rather than artyfacts; | deeds not words.

Much of the debate - and attendant confusion - so far, has revolved around a series of stereotypes of what research is, what it involves and what it delivers. The debate has also led towards some very strange directions indeed - such as the question (asked in all seriousness) 'does an exhibition of paintings count as research or doesn't it?' This paper attempts to unpack some of the stereotypes, and redirect the debate away from some of its more obviously blind alleys.

Relation to my own work

As a designer I often question the relevance of my own voice and work. Research as a scientific disciplin and the process of researching are both essential parts. Claim the space

Annotations and notes

(p.4)

• 'research' meaning 'the act of searching, closely or carefuly, for or after a specified thing or person'
• 'Resarch' meaning 'work directed towards the innovation, introduction, and improvement of products and processes'

notes in german:

Kernthematik: Was ist Forschung im Kontext von Kunst und Design?

• research = “Forschung”, allgemeine Suche, Untersuchung
• Research = “Recherche”, akademische Professionalisierung, Legitimation von Meisterschaft, Praktiken um Produktentwicklung und Innovation
• Herbert Reads Rahmenwerk - Forschung für die Kunst, Forschung in die Kunst, Forschung durch die Kunst
• aufbauend darauf Diskussion um populäre Stereotypen rund um Künslter*innen, Designer*innen, Wissenschaftler*innen
• Rollenzuordnung der einzelnen Gruppen in Bezug auf Forschung
• Reflexion ihrer Unzulänglichkeiten

• Künslter*in = der/die eher in einer expressiven als in kognitiven Form arbeitet, und für den das große Projekt eine Erweiterung der persönlichen Entwicklung ist: Autobiografie statt Verstehen
• Künstler*innen: Fokus auf Forschung für die Kunst (Beispiel mit Picasso: Annäherung an Kunstherstellung mit Geist der Forschung, Herstellung als Hauptziel)
• kritisiert Fokus der Designer*innen auf das Tun und handwerkliche Arbeit anstatt “systemische Hypothesen, Denkstrukturen oder geordnete Abläufe zu verwenden”
• stellt Karikatur des Designenden dar - “Boffin” (ehrliches handwerkliches Experimentierer) über “Style Warrior” bis zum “Imagineer” (Bilder, Zeichen, Stile recyceln, neuesten Trend anpassen)
• Gegensatz dazu: kritischer Rationalist - mit bestimmter Methodik aufgestellte Hypothese beweisen oder widerlegen
  • jemand, der/die Problem nimmt, vorsichtige Vermutungen bezüglich der Antwort darauf anstellt und die Antwort im Lichte ordentlicher, wohlgeordneter Experimente, die wiederholbar und replizierbar sein müssen, immer wieder revidiert
• kritischer Rationalismus unter Beschuss geraten
  • beansprucht starkes Vertrauen in methodologische Klarheit
  • unter dieser Haltung Forschung große Subjektivität, Irrationalität und nicht offengelegtes stillschweigendes Wissen beinhaltet
• in Historie immer wieder Verbindung zw. experimenteller Wissenschaft und Kunst
• Art und Weise der Forschung in Disziplin (Design) sollte angepasst werden
  • Forschung muss aus irgendeinem Grund motiviert sein (institutionell, technisch, pädagogisch, akademisch)
  • über Status, Promotion, Fundraising hinausgehen
• Design sollte als angewandte Forschung (wo Wissen für eine spezifische Anwendung genutzt wird), Aktionsforschung (Handlungen werden genutzt, um Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen und neues Wissen zu validieren) verstanden werden
• zum Beispiel:
  • Verwendung kognitiver Sprache, indem Materialien für das erforschen, was sie sind
  • extrinsische Themen für sich selbst und ihre Persönlichkeiten erforschen (Op-Künstler*innen, die Grenzen der menschlichen Wahrnehmung erforschen)
• Design traditionell mit formalen Lehrplan gelehrt
• Beherrschen der Grammatik gewährt Zugang zur neuesten Forschung über Designprozess
• Ausweitung Raeds Rahmenwerkes was jede Forschungskategorie in Bezug auf Bereich, Methodik, Beiträge umfassen sollte
• stellt wichtige Kriterien für Validierung von Forschung in Kunst und Design:
  • Forschung, die der kognitiven Tradition folgt und die neues Wissen und Verständnis über Designartefakte hervorbringt, jenseits des Ikonischen und Imaginären

• Humpty Dumpty Frage: Woher stammt die Legitimation? Frage von Abschlüssen, Validierungen und akademischen Status?
• Betrachtung weitverbreiteter Annahmen am Beispiel ‘Les Demoiselles d'Avignon’
• keine Annahme falscher als die, dass er als Hauptziel seiner Arbeit den Geist der Forschung hat. Wenn er malt, ist es sein Ziel zu zeigen, was er gefunden hat und nicht, was er sucht.
• Picasso: Annäherung an die Kunstherstellung mit einem Geist der Forschung, mit Betonung auf die Herstellung als Hauptziel.
• Geht im Interview um seine Referenzmaterialien

Halpern, O. & Mitchell, R.: The Smartness Mandate

Halpern, O. and Mitchell, R., 2023. The Smartness Mandate. The MIT Press.

Over the last half century, "smartness"—the drive for ubiquitous computing—has become a mandate: a new mode of managing and governing politics, economics, and the environment.

Smart phones. Smart cars. Smart homes. Smart cities. The imperative to make our world ever smarter in the face of increasingly complex challenges raises several questions: What is this "smartness mandate"? How has it emerged, and what does it say about our evolving way of understanding—and managing—reality? How have we come to see the planet and its denizens first and foremost as data-collecting instruments?

In The Smartness Mandate, Orit Halpern and Robert Mitchell radically suggest that "smartness" is not primarily a technology, but rather an epistemology. Through this lens, they offer a critical exploration of the practices, technologies, and subjects that such an understanding relies upon—above all, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The authors approach these not simply as techniques for solving problems of calculations, but rather as modes of managing life (human and other) in terms of neo-Darwinian evolution, distributed intelligences, and "resilience," all of which have serious implications for society, politics, and the environment.

The smartness mandate constitutes a new form of planetary governance, and Halpern and Mitchell aim to map the logic of this seemingly inexorable and now naturalized demand to compute, illuminate the genealogy of how we arrived here, and point to alternative imaginaries of the possibilities and potentials of smart technologies and infrastructures. [https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262544511/the-smartness-mandate/]

Han, B. -C.: Neoliberalismus und die neuen Machttechniken

Han, B.-C., 2014. Psychopolitik: Neoliberalismus und die neuen Machttechniken. S. Fischer Verlage, Frankfurt am Main.

In "Neoliberalismus und die neuen Machttechniken" Byul-Chan Han sets out the neoliberal regime's technique of domination and power, which, in contrast to Foucault's biopolitics, discovers the psyche as a productive force. Han describes neoliberal psychopolitics in all its facets, which leads to a crisis of freedom. Within the framework of this analysis of neoliberal power technology, Han also presents a first theory of big data and a lucid phenomenology of emotion. However, his brilliant new essay also draws up counter-models to neoliberal psychopolitics: rich in ideas and full of surprises.

Kashef, M., Visvizi, A. and Troisi, O.: Smart city as a smart service system: Human-computer interaction and smart city surveillance systems

Kashef, M., Visvizi, A. and Troisi, O. (2021). Smart city as a smart service system: Human-computer interaction and smart city surveillance systems. Computers in Human Behavior, 124, p.106923. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106923.

"Smart City as Smart Service Systems: Human-Computer Interaction and Smart City Surveillance Systems" by Mohamad Kashef, Anna Visvizi, and Orlando Troisi, published in Computers in Human Behavior, explores the integration of human-computer interaction (HCI) within smart city surveillance systems. The paper conceptualizes smart cities as smart service systems that leverage technology to enhance urban living by improving safety, efficiency, and citizen engagement. The authors propose the implementation of Wireless Integrated Mesh Technology Enhanced (WIMTE) systems to address the limitations of traditional surveillance systems and advocate for the active involvement of citizens in the co-design of smart city solutions. The paper discusses how mesh technology can facilitate real-time monitoring, enhance situational awareness, and support bottom-up decision-making processes in urban environments.

Relation to my own work

The paper advocates for a holistic approach to smart city development, integrating advanced technological solutions with active citizen participation to create sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban environments.

Annotations and notes

1. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in Smart Cities:
   • Smart city ecosystems consist of tools and artifacts that challenge conventional behaviors and prompt changes at individual, group, and societal levels.
   • The study of HCI in urban contexts requires addressing various methodological and conceptual questions to understand the dynamic interaction between humans and technology.
2. Limitations of Traditional Surveillance Systems:
   • Traditional smart city surveillance systems have limited capabilities for active real-time monitoring and assessment of risks, threats, and infrastructure maintenance needs.
   • Existing systems often fail to provide continuous and integrated data streaming and situational assessments.
3. Wireless Integrated Mesh Technology Enhanced (WIMTE) Systems:
   • WIMTE systems are proposed to enhance the connectivity and real-time data streaming capabilities of urban surveillance networks.
   • These systems support simultaneous data transmission to multiple clients, improving the ability to assess risks and respond to threats in real-time.
   • Mesh technology allows for geographically distributed, yet integrated, surveillance subsystems that enhance overall situational awareness and decision-making.
4. Citizen Engagement and Co-Design:
   • The paper emphasizes the need to involve citizens in the discussion and co-design of smart city solutions to restore their central role in urban decision-making.
   • Active collaboration between citizens, vendors, and public sectors is essential for developing innovative and efficient smart city services.
5. Smart Cities as Smart Service Systems:
   • Smart service systems are defined by the interconnection of people, technology, organizations, and information, enhancing the co-creation of value through human-computer interactions.
   • Viewing smart cities as smart service systems highlights the importance of data collection, information processing, and communication for efficient urban management.
   • The systems perspective emphasizes bottom-up collaboration and the active engagement of stakeholders in developing innovative solutions for urban challenges.
6. Technological and Organizational Integration:
   • The implementation of WIMTE systems supports the integration of fixed and mobile surveillance instruments with wireless web-based technologies, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making.
   • Effective data aggregation, seamless transmission across channels, and meaningful data analytics are crucial for the functionality of smart surveillance networks.
7. Impact on Citizen Behavior:
   • Smart solutions and service systems can redefine citizens' attitudes and behaviors by improving their interaction with technology and fostering a collaborative mindset.
   • The integration of technology in urban environments can enhance social trust, inclusivity, and collective responsibility among citizens.
8. Policy and Managerial Implications:
   • The study provides insights into the technological drivers and enabling factors for smart surveillance systems, guiding policymakers and city managers in addressing urban challenges.
   • Emphasizing transparency, privacy, and security is critical for gaining citizens' trust and acceptance of smart city technologies.

Mareis, C.: Unsichtbares Design und post-optimale Objekte

Mareis, C.. Unsichtbares Design und post-optimale Objekte. Interfacedesign 
und Entmaterialisierungsdiskurse seit circa 1960. In: Bartz, C.; Kaerlein, T.; Miggelbrink, M. ;Neubert, C., 2019. 
Gehäuse: Mediale Einkapselungen. Paderborn. S. 93-114. DOI: 10.25969/mediarep/3961.

"Unsichtbares Design und post-optimale Objekte" by Claudia Mareis delves into the concept of 'invisible design' and the emergence of 'post-optimal objects'. Mareis explores how design has evolved to focus on seamless integration into everyday life, making its presence less noticeable but more impactful. The text discusses the shift from traditional, visually dominant design towards more subtle, user-centered approaches that prioritize functionality and user experience. Additionally, Mareis examines the idea of 'post-optimal objects'—products that transcend the notion of perfection and instead embrace adaptability, sustainability, and resilience in response to changing social and environmental conditions. Through this analysis, the book sheds light on the evolving role of design in contemporary society.

Annotations and notes

• verborgen unter den formklaren, blendend weißen Gerätehüllen zeitigen Drähte, Batterien, Platinen und Dioden ein geheimnisvolles, dem Benutzerblick verborgenes Innenleben

• White-Boxes - produktsematische Versprechen auf einfach Handhabung und "intuitive" Interaktion

• Peter Sloterdijk "Design schafft den dunklen Rätselkästen ein aufgeschlossenes Äußeres", es "kommt unweigerlich überall überall dort ins Spiel, wo der schwarze Kasten dem Benutzer eine Kontaktseite zuwenden muss, um sich ihm trotz seiner internen Hermetik nützlich zu machen"

• bewusstes Verbergen von technischer Funktionalität

• Anthony Dunne "In a world where pracicality and functionality can be taken for granted, the aesthetics of the post-optimal object could provide new experiences of everyday life, new poetic dimensions."

• Beginn 1980er-Jahre Designtheorie Konjunktur eigentümlichen Entmaterialisierungsdiskurses verortet

• nicht länger vereinzelte, sichtbare Designobjekte, vielmehr Prozesse der Interaktion, Einbettung Designobjekte in "unsichtbare" soziomaterielle Handlungsprogramme

• Lucius Burckhardt "unsichtbares Design"

• Design neben sichtbaren Dingen auch "unsichtbare Gesamtsysteme" umfassend, "bestehend aus Objekten und zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen" im Entwurf "bewußt zu berücksichtigen" gilt

• "die Nacht ist gemacht"

• "gute Form"-Diskurs - Erzeugung formalästhetisch schlichten, funktionalen, nachhaltigen und "materialgerechten" Alltagsobjekten

• Dinge auf das "Wesentliche", auf intendierte Funktionalität reduziert

• Ziel zeitlose qualitativ hochstehende Alltagsobjekte

• die postfaschistischen deutschen Nachkriegsgesellschaft eine breitenwirksame Erziehung zum guten Geschmack und zu einem nachhaltien Kosum  bewirken

• Max Bill "ein maximum an wirkung mit einme minimum an materie

• Adolf Loos "Ornament und Verbrechen" um 1900: Verwendung billiger Materialien + nachträglich mit Ornamenten versehen, um handgemachte Unikate zu imitieren

• Verzicht auf Ornamentgebrauch, kulturell-geistigen Fortschritt einer Gesellschaft zu erkennen, "evolution der kultur ist gleichbedeutend mit dem entfernen des ornaments aus dem gebrauchsgegenstande"

• auf formalästhetischen Ebee Windschnittigkeit simulieren ohne dass diese Objekte tatsächlich über aerodynamischen Effekt verfügen

• Die gute Form - Katalog von Max Bill 1949 wandte sich gegen trügerische Funktionalität und Versprechen des Streamline-Designs

• "Ulmer Hocker" von Max Bill & Hans Gugelot 1954 Prototyp schlichter, vermeintlich zeitloser Gestaltung, formästhetische Kraft aus "ehrlicher" Reduktion auf Funktion, statt aus "trügerischer" dekorativer Oberflächengestaltung

• Lucius Burckhardt skeptisch - sah "Fortführung utilitären und ökonomischen Formen der Zwischenkriegszeit unter Wegfall der krisenhaften Rahmenbedingungen", "ein Funktionalismus ohne Funktion"

• problematisierte Umstand, dass Gestalter Konzentration auf Formgebung isolierter Einzelobjekte statt gesamtgesellschaftlichen Kontext und Handlungsprogramme mit reflektierten

• zwei Problematiken:

• Phase des Entwurfs überbewertet

• Fokussierung auf Einzelobjekte eine reduktionistische Einschränkung auf Einzelprobleme, verhindert größere Zusammenhänge, aus denen Probleme resultieren, in Blick zu nehmen

• 2. Hälfte 20.Jhd vom Produktdesign zum Systemdesign, vom Entwurfs- zum Gebrauchskontext

• Design Prozess der reflektierten Planung und konzeptuelle Handlungs- und Artefaktorganisation verstanden

• 1970er und -80er parallel zur wachsenden Bedeutung von Computertechnologien, Interface Begriff bedeutender

• trug zu bereits angelegten Entmaterialisierungstendenzen bei

• "The Sciences of the Artificial" Herbert A. Simon, 1969 - „Die Welt in der wir heute leben, ist weit eher eine von Menschenhand gemachte oder künstliche als eine natürliche Welt. Fast jeder Bestandteil unserer Umgebung zeugt von der Kunstfertigkeit des Menschen“

• Simon Definition, besagt, dass jeder Mensch ein Designer sei, der "Abläufe ersinnt, um bestehende Situationen in erwünschte [Situationen] zu verwandeln:"

• angemessene Beschreibung von Artefakten konnte aus Simons Sicht also nur unter Einbezug ihrer "Funktionen, Ziele und Anpassungen" gelingen

Monahan, Torin: The Image of the Smart City: Surveillance Protocols and Social Inequality

Monahan, Torin. 2018. The Image of the Smart City: Surveillance Protocols and Social Inequality. In: Handbook of Cultural Security, edited by Y. Watanabe. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 210-226.

The chapter "The Image of the Smart City: Surveillance Protocols and Social Inequality" by Torin Monahan critically examines the implications of smart city initiatives on urban surveillance and social inequality. The text explores how the integration of surveillance technologies into urban infrastructures is not neutral but instead perpetuates and exacerbates social inequalities. By analyzing case studies from various US cities involved in IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge, Monahan highlights the neoliberal underpinnings and political ramifications of smart city technologies. The chapter discusses how surveillance systems prioritize certain populations and activities while marginalizing others, thus reinforcing existing social hierarchies and biases. The work emphasizes the need for critical scrutiny of these technologies to ensure they do not undermine democratic values and exacerbate social divides.

Relation to my own work

The text provides a foundation for understanding the complex interplay between surveillance technologies and social inequality in the context of smart cities.

Annotations and notes

Introduction

• Surveillance studies focus on technological transformation in urban infrastructures.
• Cities are central sites for managing complex flows of people, data, vehicles, and capital through surveillance.
• Surveillance is a process of identifying, tracking, analyzing, and regulating entities and flows.

Framing the Smart City

• Smart cities use sensor networks, video surveillance, and predictive analytics to solve urban problems.
• Significant global investment in smart cities, driven by goals of efficiency, economic growth, and security.
• Surveillance systems sort populations based on perceived value or risk, creating social inequalities.

Political and Social Implications

• Smart city technologies are not neutral and often prioritize affluent populations while marginalizing others.
• Technologies used for urban management can lead to increased social polarization and spatial segregation.
• Neoliberal governance in smart cities positions the public sector in service of private technology companies.

Case Studies

• Durham, NC: IBM's solution for youth disengagement emphasizes economic costs and tech fixes, neglecting deeper social issues.
• St. Louis, MO: Recommendations focus on centralization, informatization, and privatization to improve public safety, potentially exacerbating community mistrust.
• Pittsburgh, PA: Emphasis on data-driven solutions for transportation, often ignoring the need for substantial public investment in infrastructure.

Surveillance and Inequality

• Surveillance infrastructures in smart cities enforce existing social inequalities and biases.
• Algorithms and data-driven systems normalize the values of their programmers, often without public awareness or debate.
• The control logic of smart cities can lead to aggressive policing of marginalized communities and prioritization of affluent mobilities.

Conclusion

• Data-driven solutions often presented as universal responses, constraining how urban problems are addressed.
• High-tech solutions tend to be conservative, building upon existing logics rather than enabling revolutionary change.
• Surveillance becomes a core logic of smart cities, potentially undermining democratic values and exacerbating social inequalities.

Phadke, S., Khan, S., & Ranade, S.: Why Loiter?

Phadke, S., Khan, S., & Ranade, S. (2011). Why Loiter? Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets. Penguin Books.

"Why Loiter? Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets" by Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan, and Shilpa Ranade challenges the perception of Mumbai as a safe haven for women. The book argues that women in Mumbai face significant social, political, and infrastructural barriers that limit their freedom to occupy public spaces. It posits that the right to loiter, or to be in public space without purpose, is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all women. By blending theory with real-life experiences, the authors call for a reimagining of public spaces that includes and respects women's right to loiter, thus promoting gender equality in urban environments.

Relation to my own work

...

Annotations and notes

• Myth of Mumbai as a Women's Paradise: The book dispels the myth that Mumbai is an ideal city for women, highlighting the various constraints they face in public spaces.
• Right to Loiter: The central argument is that the right to loiter, or simply being in public space without a specific purpose, is a crucial aspect of gender equality. This goes beyond the need for safety and protection, advocating for women's right to use public space freely.
• Social and Cultural Constraints: Women from different classes and cultural backgrounds encounter various challenges that restrict their access to public spaces. These include societal expectations, political issues, and inadequate infrastructure.
• Real-life Experiences: The book uses real-life anecdotes and experiences of women to illustrate the impact of these constraints, making the argument relatable and poignant.
• Interdisciplinary Appeal: "Why Loiter?" appeals to social scientists, urbanists, and gender scholars, as well as a general audience interested in gender issues and urban studies.
• Combining Theory with Practice: The book is praised for its ability to combine theoretical insights with practical, lived experiences, making it both informative and accessible

Shazade Jameson, Christine Richter & Linnet Taylor: People’s strategies for perceived surveillance in Amsterdam Smart City

Shazade Jameson, Christine Richter & Linnet Taylor (2019) People’s strategies for perceived surveillance in Amsterdam Smart City, Urban Geography, 40:10, 1467-1484, DOI: 10.1080/02723638.2019.1614369

"People’s Strategies for Perceived Surveillance in Amsterdam Smart City" by Shazade Jameson, Christine Richter, and Linnet Taylor examines how residents of Amsterdam perceive and respond to datafication and surveillance in the context of smart city initiatives. The study, conducted through focus groups, reveals how individuals navigate their sense of hypervisibility and uncertainty within a highly monitored urban environment. Residents differentiate between public and private sector actors, building trust based on historical social contracts. The paper highlights the limitations of these strategies, particularly for vulnerable groups, and calls for a more nuanced understanding of data governance and the lived experiences of urban surveillance.

Relation to my own work

This study provides valuable insights into the lived experiences of urban surveillance and the complex dynamics of trust, governance, and datafication in the context of smart cities.

Annotations and notes

1. Perception of Datafication and Surveillance:
   • Residents feel a general sense of hypervisibility and uncertainty regarding how their data is collected and used.
   • People are often unclear about the specific actors involved in data collection and their respective roles.
2. Strategies for Navigating Surveillance:
   • Trust in the historical social contract with the government is a common strategy.
   • Differentiation between public (government) and private (corporate) actors is a key method used by residents to navigate datafication.
3. Hypervisibility and Uncertainty:
   • There is a pervasive sense of being constantly monitored, amplified by online activities and government interactions.
   • Concerns about cybersecurity and data breaches contribute to feelings of insecurity.
4. Discernment in Opacity:
   • People try to make sense of surveillance by distinguishing between different institutions and their data practices.
   • Instances where data flows are not seamless (e.g., bureaucratic processes) offer insights into the complexities of urban data governance.
5. Trust in Government vs. Private Sector:
   • Generally, residents trust government entities more than private corporations, often seeing the latter as "Big Brother."
   • This trust is based on the perceived benefits of data collection for public service provision and safety.
6. Social Context and Discrimination:
   • People's understanding of datafication is influenced by their social experiences, including instances of discrimination.
   • Vulnerable groups, such as ethnic minorities and sex workers, highlight the biases and risks inherent in data-driven governance.
7. Limits to Data Neutrality:
   • The assumption that more data leads to better, objective decision-making is questioned.
   • Data is inherently political, and increased datafication can exacerbate issues for already marginalized groups.
8. Methodology:
   • The study employs an iterative ethnographic strategy, including observations, expert interviews, and focus groups.
   • Focus groups included diverse participants such as technology developers, immigrants, ethnic minorities, and sex workers.
9. Implications for Data Governance:
   • The paper advocates for greater transparency and clarity in data governance to address citizens' concerns.
   • Emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to data analytics that considers social context and avoids purely technical solutions.

van der Vlist, Fernando N.: Counter-Mapping Surveillance: A Critical Cartography of Mass Surveillance Technology After Snowden

van der Vlist, Fernando N. 2017. Counter-Mapping Surveillance: A Critical Cartography of Mass Surveillance Technology After Snowden. Surveillance & Society 15(1): 137-157.

"Counter-Mapping Surveillance: A Critical Cartography of Mass Surveillance Technology After Snowden" by Fernando N. van der Vlist examines the complexities of mass surveillance technologies revealed by Edward Snowden. The article highlights the pervasive and often hidden nature of surveillance technologies in modern society and explores the challenges of studying these technologies when they are deeply embedded in everyday life. Through a novel empirical cartographic methodology that uses assemblages and actor–network theory, the study maps out the relationships and dependencies between various actors and technologies involved in surveillance. The paper calls for the continued development of counter-maps to foster awareness and resistance against mass surveillance, emphasizing the importance of understanding the intricate dynamics of the surveillance-industrial complex.

Relation to my own work

By employing critical cartography and focusing on the relationships within the surveillance-industrial complex, the article provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of mass surveillance and suggests pathways for resistance and increased transparency.

Annotations and notes

1. Mass Surveillance Technologies:
   • Snowden's disclosures highlighted the widespread and covert nature of mass surveillance technologies used by the NSA.
   • These technologies are often integrated into everyday consumer electronics and services, making them difficult to distinguish and study.
2. Surveillance-Industrial Complex:
   • The complex relationships between state agencies and private corporations in developing and implementing surveillance technologies.
   • Governments often outsource key aspects of surveillance to private actors, creating a deeply entrenched nexus that enhances the pervasiveness of surveillance.
3. Critical Cartography:
   • The article employs a critical cartographic methodology to map out the actors and their associations in the surveillance network.
   • This approach helps visualize and understand the intricate dependencies and relationships that constitute the global surveillance apparatus.
4. Assemblages and Actor-Network Theory:
   • Assemblage theory and actor-network theory are used to analyze the heterogeneous elements that form the surveillance network.
   • The study emphasizes the dynamic and relational nature of these assemblages, which are constantly being reconfigured.
5. Modularity, Functional Dependency, and Strategic Alignment:
   • Three key ordering principles are identified: modularity (how components can be reconfigured), functional dependency (how components depend on each other), and strategic alignment (how components align for strategic purposes).
   • These principles help explain the efficient and resilient nature of the surveillance network.
6. Role of Technology in Surveillance:
   • Many technologies used for surveillance were not originally designed for this purpose but have been repurposed within the surveillant assemblage.
   • Technologies such as software entities, hardware implants, and surveillance programs play crucial roles in enabling mass surveillance.
7. Challenges of Resistance and Data Activism:
   • The paper discusses the difficulties in resisting mass surveillance due to the integration of surveillance technologies into everyday life.
   • It advocates for the proliferation of counter-maps to raise awareness and facilitate meaningful resistance.
8. Transparency and Accountability:
   • The study highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in surveillance practices.
   • It calls for a more nuanced understanding of the distribution of responsibility across various actors in the surveillance network.

Van Zoonen, Lisbet: Performance and Participation in the Panopticon: Instruments for Civic Engagement with Urban Surveillance Technologies

Van Zoonen, Lisbet. 2020. Performance and Participation in the Panopticon: Instruments for Civic Engagement with Urban Surveillance Technologies. International Security Management: new solutions to complexity (pp.243-254). Springer Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-42523-4_17

"Performance and Participation in the Panopticon: Instruments for Civic Engagement with Urban Surveillance Technologies" by Liesbet van Zoonen explores the intricate dynamics of surveillance technologies in urban environments, commonly referred to as 'smart cities'. The chapter highlights the invisibility and pervasiveness of these technologies, such as CCTV cameras, IoT devices, AI, and 5G, and their integration into urban infrastructure, which often escapes public scrutiny and democratic debate. The text emphasizes the necessity of raising public awareness and engagement regarding these technologies to ensure ethical considerations like privacy, transparency, and inclusion are met. Through various initiatives like data walks, smart city research games, and data transparency contests, the chapter discusses methods for making these technologies visible and fostering informed public discourse. It also underscores the importance of collective agency and political agenda-setting in managing and contesting urban surveillance technologies.

Relation to my own work

...

Annotations and notes

1. Urban Surveillance Technologies:
   • Surveillance practices, including CCTV cameras and crowd management, are integral to the concept of the 'smart city'.
   • These technologies often blend into the urban landscape, remaining largely invisible to the public.
2. Security and Democratic Oversight:
   • The invisibility of surveillance technologies leads to a lack of public awareness and critical reflection, hindering democratic debate on digital security projects.
   • Surveillance technologies need to be exposed to public scrutiny to enable democratic opinion formation and decision-making.
3. Public Engagement and Awareness:
   • The chapter stresses the importance of public awareness regarding surveillance technologies to ensure privacy, transparency, and inclusion.
   • Methods to raise awareness include art and design interventions, participatory action research, and educational initiatives like data dialogues and research games.
4. Art and Design Interventions:
   • Creative and artistic approaches have been used to contest urban surveillance and raise public awareness.
   • These interventions, while effective in drawing attention, often fail to sustain public discourse and need to be complemented with participatory activities.
5. Participatory Action Research:
   • The Knowledge Lab Urban Big Data (KLUBD) and BOLD Cities initiatives aim to engage citizens and civil servants in understanding and scrutinizing urban surveillance technologies.
   • Activities like data walks challenge participants to identify and discuss surveillance technologies, fostering public debate on their ethical and political implications.
6. Data Walks and Public Knowledge:
   • Data walks reveal the presence of surveillance technologies, prompting discussions on their ownership, usage, and democratic accountability.
   • Participants often feel a lack of knowledge and agency regarding these technologies, highlighting the need for better education and transparency.
7. Challenges and Solutions:
   • Achieving transparency about surveillance technologies is challenging due to their complex and hidden nature.
   • Collective agency and political mobilization are necessary for meaningful engagement and contestation of surveillance practices.
   • The chapter advocates for shifting the focus from individual knowledge to collective responsibility and political agenda-setting to manage urban surveillance technologies effectively.