Emerson College
Engagement Lab
The goal of this article is two-fold: to introduce the concept of augmented deliberation and to demonstrate its implementation in a pilot project. We look specifically at a project called Hub2. This community engagement project employed... more
The goal of this article is two-fold: to introduce the concept of augmented deliberation and to demonstrate its implementation in a pilot project. We look specifically at a project called Hub2. This community engagement project employed the online virtual world Second Life to augment community deliberation in the planning of a neighborhood park in Boston, Massachusetts. The local community was invited to gather in a physical space and a virtual space simultaneously, and a physical moderator and virtual designer orchestrated deliberation. This project demonstrates the design values central to augmented deliberation: (1) it is a multimedia group communication process which balances the specific affordances of digital technologies with the established qualities of face-to-face group deliberation; (2) it emphasizes the power of experience; and (3) it promotes sustainability and reproducibility through digital tracking. Augmented deliberation, when properly designed, provides a powerful mechanism to enable productive and meaningful public deliberation. The article concludes with directions for further research.
We tend to think of mapping as a cognitive and analytical process. It is something that abstracts space so that it might be made legible, or make legible the data that exists within space. This is what sets a map apart from a... more
We tend to think of mapping as a cognitive and analytical process. It is something that abstracts space so that it might be made legible, or make legible the data that exists within space. This is what sets a map apart from a representation. A single photograph of a street scene is a representation of a street, whereas a map of a street scene treats the street as data fed into a larger spatial context.
- by Eric Gordon
- •
Abstract. Public participation is an important part of the urban planning process. However, too often the goals of this participation are not clearly articulated and, as a result, the platforms for participation created with digital... more
Abstract. Public participation is an important part of the urban planning process. However, too often the goals of this participation are not clearly articulated and, as a result, the platforms for participation created with digital technologies are often poorly designed or simply lack clarity. Immersive planning is a conceptual model with which to conceive the process of public participation that focuses on the depth and breadth of user experience.
- by Eric Gordon
- •
Many cities now receive and digitally archive requests for government services through constituent relationship management (CRM) systems (e.g., 311 hotlines). Some reports seek to counteract deterioration or disorder in urban... more
Many cities now receive and digitally archive requests for government services through constituent relationship management (CRM) systems (e.g., 311 hotlines). Some reports seek to counteract deterioration or disorder in urban neighborhoods (e.g., potholes), suggesting that they might be motivated by territoriality. We examined this question through a survey of CRM users in Boston, MA, which was combined with their patterns of reporting, as derived from the CRM database . The survey included measures of three territorial motives and social and personal relationships with the neighborhood. We test a three-layer model in which neighborhood relationships predict territorial motives, and both predict reporting patterns. The findings suggest that the greatest motive for such reports is to benefit the community. Other results regarding the role of social cohesion and local social networks are also discussed. Overall, the study provides a substantive interpretation for CRM reports that was previously absent.
[Excerpted from paper] In this paper, we argue that the usability of knowledge is the most compelling metric through which to assess the value of liberal learning in the modern university. The distinction between usability and usefulness... more
[Excerpted from paper]
In this paper, we argue that the usability of knowledge is the most compelling metric through which to assess the value of liberal learning in the modern university. The distinction between usability and usefulness is one of framing, rather than content. The direct application of knowledge is still emphasized, just not predominantly tied to specific career goals; knowledge may have instrumental value, but it is presented in an expressive context; the efficient retention of facts is important, but understanding how facts get interpreted and put into practice is more important; and the individual learner matters, but, as John Dewey has argued, the process of learning is always social, and the value of knowledge is its being put into practice in the social world.
Usability, regardless of discipline, is a productive way of applying the value of liberal learning. It suggests that the learner, through practice, is comfortable with the application of knowledge in a range of contexts. Usability, we argue, is the pedagogical framing of what Danielle Allen and Jennifer Light understand as the pathway from voice to influence.5 They, along with the contributors to their collected volume by the same name, focus on the civic relationships that cultivate citizenship. In order to move beyond the legal connotations of citizenship, they use the term “civic agency.” They are interested in the informal and often participatory mechanisms in which young people pursue political efficacy, regardless of legal status. While they don’t explicitly refer to higher education, their framework productively resists the notion of “good citizenship” that has long been at the core of liberal learning. We see usability as the way to discuss this path from voice to influence within higher education. It expands the focus from a range of educational outcomes, such as knowledge of great books and employability, to educational practice. The purpose of usability is to empower young people to apply knowledge and skills to the social, cultural, and political problems their communities face.
In order to make this more concrete, we provide examples from our own teaching and research at Emerson College and suggest that the lessons are reproducible and transferable. For the last several years, we have been working in a field of study and practice called “civic media.” In our 2016 book by the same name, we define civic media as “the technologies, designs, and practices that produce and reproduce the sense of being in the world with others toward common good.”6 On one hand, civic media implies all the deliberate uses of digital tools and practices that foster social change or civic cohesion. And on the other hand, it represents the range of mediated practices through which knowledge is usable for social action.
In this paper, we argue that the usability of knowledge is the most compelling metric through which to assess the value of liberal learning in the modern university. The distinction between usability and usefulness is one of framing, rather than content. The direct application of knowledge is still emphasized, just not predominantly tied to specific career goals; knowledge may have instrumental value, but it is presented in an expressive context; the efficient retention of facts is important, but understanding how facts get interpreted and put into practice is more important; and the individual learner matters, but, as John Dewey has argued, the process of learning is always social, and the value of knowledge is its being put into practice in the social world.
Usability, regardless of discipline, is a productive way of applying the value of liberal learning. It suggests that the learner, through practice, is comfortable with the application of knowledge in a range of contexts. Usability, we argue, is the pedagogical framing of what Danielle Allen and Jennifer Light understand as the pathway from voice to influence.5 They, along with the contributors to their collected volume by the same name, focus on the civic relationships that cultivate citizenship. In order to move beyond the legal connotations of citizenship, they use the term “civic agency.” They are interested in the informal and often participatory mechanisms in which young people pursue political efficacy, regardless of legal status. While they don’t explicitly refer to higher education, their framework productively resists the notion of “good citizenship” that has long been at the core of liberal learning. We see usability as the way to discuss this path from voice to influence within higher education. It expands the focus from a range of educational outcomes, such as knowledge of great books and employability, to educational practice. The purpose of usability is to empower young people to apply knowledge and skills to the social, cultural, and political problems their communities face.
In order to make this more concrete, we provide examples from our own teaching and research at Emerson College and suggest that the lessons are reproducible and transferable. For the last several years, we have been working in a field of study and practice called “civic media.” In our 2016 book by the same name, we define civic media as “the technologies, designs, and practices that produce and reproduce the sense of being in the world with others toward common good.”6 On one hand, civic media implies all the deliberate uses of digital tools and practices that foster social change or civic cohesion. And on the other hand, it represents the range of mediated practices through which knowledge is usable for social action.
This report examines the uses of digital media among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working with migrants and refugees primarily in Europe. Based on interviews with leaders at over 20 NGOs, this report documents how organizations... more
This report examines the uses of digital media among non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) working with migrants and refugees primarily in Europe. Based on interviews
with leaders at over 20 NGOs, this report documents how organizations are thinking
about digital and media literacies for combating xenophobia. NGOs are strategically leveraging various storytelling techniques to build effective communication campaigns that identify and respond to discriminatory messages and racist sentiments prevalent in public discourse. This report highlights seven key strategies for digital storytelling that is current practice as well as a five-part framework of emergent practice. The report concludes with a series of recommendations for the management of digital media programs and projects
(NGOs) working with migrants and refugees primarily in Europe. Based on interviews
with leaders at over 20 NGOs, this report documents how organizations are thinking
about digital and media literacies for combating xenophobia. NGOs are strategically leveraging various storytelling techniques to build effective communication campaigns that identify and respond to discriminatory messages and racist sentiments prevalent in public discourse. This report highlights seven key strategies for digital storytelling that is current practice as well as a five-part framework of emergent practice. The report concludes with a series of recommendations for the management of digital media programs and projects
More than ever before public engagement is central to the work of governments on local, state and national levels. Moving beyond outreach practices, which generally involve activities that broadcast to communities what governments do and... more
More than ever before public engagement is central to the work of governments on local, state and national levels. Moving beyond outreach practices, which generally involve activities that broadcast to communities what governments do and deflect what they don’t do, public engagement is a two-way process that entails ongoing interaction and listening to generate mutual benefit. Establishing a fluid and open-ended dialogue across the boundary between a government and its communities can lead to better-informed policies that effectively communicate messages, solve problems and deliver services in new, creative and impactful ways. Yet, despite enthusiasm for public engagement, there is no well-supported formula for how to do it effectively. What is clear is that engagement should incorporate today’s dynamic media landscape, cultural norms of responsiveness, and expectations of user friendliness in a context of reciprocity and long term partnership.
This guide captures learning from the experiences of five city governments, and from a variety of departments, across the United States who are members of the City Accelerator initiative, which is a collaboration between Living Cities and the Citi Foundation established in 2015. City officials from Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Seattle participated in an eighteen-month program to design and implement projects that engage lower income residents on various issues ranging from re-entry services to public health campaigns. Each city was awarded $100,000 over the life of the project. The cities received technical assistance and guidance from the Engagement Lab, an applied research lab based at Emerson College in Boston working on reimagining civic engagement in a digital culture, through monthly conference calls and quarterly convenings to hone their approaches. (See Appendix 2 for the overarching goals of the City Accelerator cohort on Public Engagement).
In addition to detailing the work of these five cities, this guide provides a background on public engagement and offers practical and detailed approaches for city officials nationwide to use when planning engagement processes. With this guide, you will: learn about the crucial concept of co-production as a frame for public engagement; Understand, through real world examples, the complexity of effective communication and relationship building; learn how to balance the key ingredients of a successful public engagement process, including creativity, inclusivity, and transparency; be taken through a step-by-step process, grounded in design-thinking methods, of planning a public engagement process.
There is no one-size-fits-all public engagement tool or technique (See Appendix 1 for a list of existing toolkits). Approaches to public engagement must continually adapt and evolve along with the communities they serve. As such, this guide walks you through best practices for how to manage the ever-changing landscape of public engagement.
This guide captures learning from the experiences of five city governments, and from a variety of departments, across the United States who are members of the City Accelerator initiative, which is a collaboration between Living Cities and the Citi Foundation established in 2015. City officials from Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Seattle participated in an eighteen-month program to design and implement projects that engage lower income residents on various issues ranging from re-entry services to public health campaigns. Each city was awarded $100,000 over the life of the project. The cities received technical assistance and guidance from the Engagement Lab, an applied research lab based at Emerson College in Boston working on reimagining civic engagement in a digital culture, through monthly conference calls and quarterly convenings to hone their approaches. (See Appendix 2 for the overarching goals of the City Accelerator cohort on Public Engagement).
In addition to detailing the work of these five cities, this guide provides a background on public engagement and offers practical and detailed approaches for city officials nationwide to use when planning engagement processes. With this guide, you will: learn about the crucial concept of co-production as a frame for public engagement; Understand, through real world examples, the complexity of effective communication and relationship building; learn how to balance the key ingredients of a successful public engagement process, including creativity, inclusivity, and transparency; be taken through a step-by-step process, grounded in design-thinking methods, of planning a public engagement process.
There is no one-size-fits-all public engagement tool or technique (See Appendix 1 for a list of existing toolkits). Approaches to public engagement must continually adapt and evolve along with the communities they serve. As such, this guide walks you through best practices for how to manage the ever-changing landscape of public engagement.
This article analyzes the use of a role-playing game in a civic planning process. We focus on the qualities of interactions generated through gameplay, specifically the affordances of voluntary play within a “magic circle” of the game,... more
This article analyzes the use of a role-playing game in a civic planning process. We focus on the qualities of interactions generated through gameplay, specifically the affordances of voluntary play within a “magic circle” of the game, that directly impact participants’ ability to generate new ideas about the community. We present the results of a quasi-experimental study where a role-playing game (RPG) called @Stake is incorporated into participatory budgeting meetings in New York City and compared with meetings that incorporated a trivia game. We provide evidence that the role-playing game, which encourages empathy, is more effective than a game that tests knowledge for generating what we call civic creativity, or an individual’s ability to come up with new ideas. Rapid ideation and social learning nurtured by the game point to a kind of group creativity that fosters social connection and understanding of consequence outside of the game. We conclude with thoughts on future research.
Our research is informed by informal discussions with participants of events and workshops organized by both the Boston Civic Media Consortium and the Engagement Lab at Emerson College between 2015-2016. These events are free to the... more
Our research is informed by informal discussions
with participants of events and workshops
organized by both the Boston Civic
Media Consortium and the Engagement Lab at
Emerson College between 2015-2016. These
events are free to the public and were attended
by both CPOs and academics from various
fields and interest positions. We also conducted
interviews with 20 CPO representatives in
the Greater Boston region who were currently or had recently engaged in academic research
partnerships. These representatives presented
a diverse mix of experiences and were not
disproportionately associated with any one
community issue. The interview protocol
consisted of 15 questions that explored issues
related to the benefits, challenges, structure
and outcomes of their academic collaborations.
It also included questions about the
nature and processes of data management.
Our goal was to uncover patterns of belief in
the roles, values, and concerns of CPO representatives
in partnerships, focusing on how
they understand and assign value to digital
data and technology.
with participants of events and workshops
organized by both the Boston Civic
Media Consortium and the Engagement Lab at
Emerson College between 2015-2016. These
events are free to the public and were attended
by both CPOs and academics from various
fields and interest positions. We also conducted
interviews with 20 CPO representatives in
the Greater Boston region who were currently or had recently engaged in academic research
partnerships. These representatives presented
a diverse mix of experiences and were not
disproportionately associated with any one
community issue. The interview protocol
consisted of 15 questions that explored issues
related to the benefits, challenges, structure
and outcomes of their academic collaborations.
It also included questions about the
nature and processes of data management.
Our goal was to uncover patterns of belief in
the roles, values, and concerns of CPO representatives
in partnerships, focusing on how
they understand and assign value to digital
data and technology.
At a time of dramatically declining trust in media, news organizations of all kinds are searching for ways to build better relationships with the communities they serve. This report highlights trust-building innovations that involve... more
At a time of dramatically declining trust in
media, news organizations of all kinds are
searching for ways to build better relationships with the communities they serve. This report highlights trust-building innovations
that involve relational journalism: journalism
that focuses on enriching reporting by engaging with people as members of communities, not just as “audiences.”
Growing attention to community relationships is happening against a backdrop of eroding trust in the media. Recent research suggests
that the public is looking for greater authenticity, transparency, positivity, and diversity in the news and a sense of shared mission
between communities and news organizations. Relational journalism can be a critical trust-building innovation, offering media organizations a path toward greater trust and therefore greater sustainability. This report describes the background work that goes into creating that kind of news, and offers journalists an evaluative tool to capture the
effectiveness of the work.
Even as many media organizations are working to address the crisis of public trust, they are often not doing the work of building
internal capacity, establishing metrics for success, or crafting compelling narratives to connect the programmatic work of the newsroom to the work of building trusting relationships with the communities they serve.
In short, most organizations lack adequate resources and training, not to mention the organizational and cultural buy-in, to do authentic engagement work.
This report shows how news organizations can build capacity to more effectively engage the communities they serve. It presents a constructive evaluation tool we call the Reflective Practice Guide (RPG). The RPG
offers a set of concepts and a process for documenting and reflecting on community engagement efforts and impacts, so that journalists and the organizations they work for will be better able to build accurate and
complete narratives around the value of doing engagement work. As journalists continue to carve out a space for relational journalism in their practice, articulating the value of the work to stakeholders, audiences, managers and funders will be essential, particularly because it often requires different skills than traditional journalistic work. In short, the RPG
provides a way to measure work that is often novel to news organizations and difficult to quantify.
The tool was refined through a project called Finding Common Ground—a collaboration of the Agora Journalism Center and The Engagement Lab, with support from The Robert Bosch Foundation, the News Integrity
Initiative, and Zeit Online. Seven project teams were selected to join a cohort of journalists willing to “think out loud” about their engagement practice in order to refine the evaluation tool. The project leaders learned new ways to create more meaningful engagement with
their communities, and learned how to better
anticipate the kinds of work that meaningful
engagement requires. The questions posed
in the RPG invite journalists to identify the
texture of four basic activities in their community engagement work: Network Building,
Holding Space for Discussion, Distributing
Ownership, and providing for Persistent Input.
As the illustrations in this report show, the
RPG encourages journalists to articulate what
they are doing to build community engagement and why they are doing it. It aids in
the identification of challenges and provides
insights into how to overcome them. And
it helps journalists speak with their peers,
superiors, and funders about the value of
engaging communities in the practice of
news making.
The four activities described in the report can
create the kinds of journalistic behaviors and
news content that audiences see as markers
of trustworthiness. The activities shared in
this report and the instrument provided for
journalists to evaluate them provide a potential
roadmap for media to build greater trust with
the communities they serve.
media, news organizations of all kinds are
searching for ways to build better relationships with the communities they serve. This report highlights trust-building innovations
that involve relational journalism: journalism
that focuses on enriching reporting by engaging with people as members of communities, not just as “audiences.”
Growing attention to community relationships is happening against a backdrop of eroding trust in the media. Recent research suggests
that the public is looking for greater authenticity, transparency, positivity, and diversity in the news and a sense of shared mission
between communities and news organizations. Relational journalism can be a critical trust-building innovation, offering media organizations a path toward greater trust and therefore greater sustainability. This report describes the background work that goes into creating that kind of news, and offers journalists an evaluative tool to capture the
effectiveness of the work.
Even as many media organizations are working to address the crisis of public trust, they are often not doing the work of building
internal capacity, establishing metrics for success, or crafting compelling narratives to connect the programmatic work of the newsroom to the work of building trusting relationships with the communities they serve.
In short, most organizations lack adequate resources and training, not to mention the organizational and cultural buy-in, to do authentic engagement work.
This report shows how news organizations can build capacity to more effectively engage the communities they serve. It presents a constructive evaluation tool we call the Reflective Practice Guide (RPG). The RPG
offers a set of concepts and a process for documenting and reflecting on community engagement efforts and impacts, so that journalists and the organizations they work for will be better able to build accurate and
complete narratives around the value of doing engagement work. As journalists continue to carve out a space for relational journalism in their practice, articulating the value of the work to stakeholders, audiences, managers and funders will be essential, particularly because it often requires different skills than traditional journalistic work. In short, the RPG
provides a way to measure work that is often novel to news organizations and difficult to quantify.
The tool was refined through a project called Finding Common Ground—a collaboration of the Agora Journalism Center and The Engagement Lab, with support from The Robert Bosch Foundation, the News Integrity
Initiative, and Zeit Online. Seven project teams were selected to join a cohort of journalists willing to “think out loud” about their engagement practice in order to refine the evaluation tool. The project leaders learned new ways to create more meaningful engagement with
their communities, and learned how to better
anticipate the kinds of work that meaningful
engagement requires. The questions posed
in the RPG invite journalists to identify the
texture of four basic activities in their community engagement work: Network Building,
Holding Space for Discussion, Distributing
Ownership, and providing for Persistent Input.
As the illustrations in this report show, the
RPG encourages journalists to articulate what
they are doing to build community engagement and why they are doing it. It aids in
the identification of challenges and provides
insights into how to overcome them. And
it helps journalists speak with their peers,
superiors, and funders about the value of
engaging communities in the practice of
news making.
The four activities described in the report can
create the kinds of journalistic behaviors and
news content that audiences see as markers
of trustworthiness. The activities shared in
this report and the instrument provided for
journalists to evaluate them provide a potential
roadmap for media to build greater trust with
the communities they serve.
This article reports on a qualitative study of community based organizations' (CBOs) adoption of information communication technologies (ICT). As ICTs in the civic sector, otherwise known as civic tech, get adopted with greater regularity... more
This article reports on a qualitative study of community based organizations' (CBOs) adoption of information communication technologies (ICT). As ICTs in the civic sector, otherwise known as civic tech, get adopted with greater regularity in large and small organizations, there is need to understand how these technologies shape and challenge the nature of civic work. Based on a nine-month ethnographic study of one organization in Boston and additional interviews with fourteen other organizations throughout the United States, the study addresses a guiding research question: how do CBOs reconcile the changing (increasingly mediated) nature of civic work as ICTs, and their effective adoption and use for civic purposes, increasingly represent forward-thinking, progress, and innovation in the civic sector?-of civic tech as a measure of "keeping up with the times." From a sense of top-down pressures to innovate in a fast-moving civic sector, to changing bottom-up media practices among community constituents, our findings identify four tensions in the daily practice of civic tech, including: 1) function vs. representation, 2) amplification vs. transformation, 3) grassroots vs. grasstops, and 4) youth vs. adults. These four tensions, derived from a grounded theory approach, provide a conceptual picture of a civic tech landscape that is much more complicated than a suite of tools to help organizations become more efficient. The article concludes with recommendations for practitioners and researchers.
Public trust in the institutions that mediate civic life-from governing bodies to newsrooms-is low. In facing this challenge, many organizations assume that ensuring greater efficiency will build trust. As a result, these organizations... more
Public trust in the institutions that mediate civic life-from governing bodies to newsrooms-is low. In facing this challenge, many organizations assume that ensuring greater efficiency will build trust. As a result, these organizations are quick to adopt new technologies to enhance what they do, whether it's a new app or dashboard. However, efficiency, or charting a path to a goal with the least amount of friction, is not itself always built on a foundation of trust.
Meaningful Inefficiencies is about the practices undertaken by civic designers that challenge the normative applications of "smart technologies" in order to build or repair trust with publics. Based on over sixty interviews with change makers in public serving organizations throughout the United States, as well as detailed case studies, this book provides a practical and deeply philosophical picture of civic life in transition. The designers in this book are not professional designers, but practitioners embedded within organizations who have adopted an approach to public engagement Eric Gordon and Gabriel Mugar call "meaningful inefficiencies," or the deliberate design of less efficient over more efficient means of achieving some ends. This book illustrates how civic designers are creating meaningful inefficiencies within public serving organizations. It also encourages a rethinking of how innovation within these organizations is understood, applied, and sought after. Different than market innovation, civic innovation is not just about invention and novelty; it is concerned with building communities around novelty, and cultivating deep and persistent trust.
At its core, Meaningful Inefficiencies underlines that good civic innovation will never just involve one single public good, but must instead negotiate a plurality of publics. In doing so, it creates the conditions for those publics to play, resulting in people truly caring for the world. Meaningful Inefficiencies thus presents an emergent and vitally needed approach to creating civic life at a moment when smart and efficient are the dominant forces in social and organizational change.
Meaningful Inefficiencies is about the practices undertaken by civic designers that challenge the normative applications of "smart technologies" in order to build or repair trust with publics. Based on over sixty interviews with change makers in public serving organizations throughout the United States, as well as detailed case studies, this book provides a practical and deeply philosophical picture of civic life in transition. The designers in this book are not professional designers, but practitioners embedded within organizations who have adopted an approach to public engagement Eric Gordon and Gabriel Mugar call "meaningful inefficiencies," or the deliberate design of less efficient over more efficient means of achieving some ends. This book illustrates how civic designers are creating meaningful inefficiencies within public serving organizations. It also encourages a rethinking of how innovation within these organizations is understood, applied, and sought after. Different than market innovation, civic innovation is not just about invention and novelty; it is concerned with building communities around novelty, and cultivating deep and persistent trust.
At its core, Meaningful Inefficiencies underlines that good civic innovation will never just involve one single public good, but must instead negotiate a plurality of publics. In doing so, it creates the conditions for those publics to play, resulting in people truly caring for the world. Meaningful Inefficiencies thus presents an emergent and vitally needed approach to creating civic life at a moment when smart and efficient are the dominant forces in social and organizational change.
- by Eric Gordon and +1
- •
- Design, Play, Participatory Design, Design Innovation
Data and analytics from sensors, cameras, drones, autonomous vehicles and kiosks are already reshaping cities and government processes around the world. Decisions about how this new urban data infrastructure is emerging are being made... more
Data and analytics from sensors, cameras, drones, autonomous vehicles and kiosks are
already reshaping cities and government processes around the world. Decisions about
how this new urban data infrastructure is emerging are being made largely through
negotiations between municipal governments and technology companies. Looking to the
future, it is no longer a question that communities—especially marginalized communities
most subject to control mechanisms and data bias—must be meaningfully brought into
these decision making processes. This report documents a prototype of a
community-centered smart city process in Boston, MA, in which urban technologies are
temporarily installed in cities for the purpose of public questioning and reflection. The
prototype was designed and implemented in 2018-19 in three of Boston’s neighborhoods:
Chinatown, Codman Square and Lower Allston.
already reshaping cities and government processes around the world. Decisions about
how this new urban data infrastructure is emerging are being made largely through
negotiations between municipal governments and technology companies. Looking to the
future, it is no longer a question that communities—especially marginalized communities
most subject to control mechanisms and data bias—must be meaningfully brought into
these decision making processes. This report documents a prototype of a
community-centered smart city process in Boston, MA, in which urban technologies are
temporarily installed in cities for the purpose of public questioning and reflection. The
prototype was designed and implemented in 2018-19 in three of Boston’s neighborhoods:
Chinatown, Codman Square and Lower Allston.
This book establishes play as a mode of humanistic inquiry with a profound effect on art, culture and society. Play is treated as a dynamic and relational modality where relationships of all kinds are forged and inquisitive... more
This book establishes play as a mode of humanistic inquiry with a profound effect on art, culture and society. Play is treated as a dynamic and relational modality where relationships of all kinds are forged and inquisitive interdisciplinary engagement is embraced. Play cultivates reflection, connection, and creativity, offering new epistemological directions for the humanities. With examples from a range of disciplines including poetry, history, science, religion and media, this book treats play as an object of inquiry, but also as a mode of inquiry. The chapters, each focusing on a specific cultural phenomenon, do not simply put culture on display, they put culture in play, providing a playful lens through which to see the world. The reader is encouraged to read the chapters in this book out of order, allowing constructive collision between ideas, moments in history, and theoretical perspectives. The act of reading this book, like the project of the humanities itself, should be emergent, generative, and playful.
Civic technology (or “civic tech”) describes a field of practice that involves creating digital tools to lower barriers to participation, enhance transparency, cultivate trust, or generally streamline functioning of civic organizations.... more
Civic technology (or “civic tech”) describes a field of practice that involves creating digital tools to lower barriers to participation, enhance transparency, cultivate trust, or generally streamline functioning of civic organizations. It has been closely associated with city hubs, where civic hacker groups such as g0v (pronounced Gov Zero) in Taipei, Code for America in San Francisco or Civic Hall in New York, generate local attention around the development of technologies for civic purposes. Around the world, the civic tech movement has been active in creating civic hackathons and other events to promote open data and the tools to access it. Civic technology is a general term that contains other more specific terms such as government technology and political technology. Government technology (or “gov tech”) is a civic technology exclusively within government organizations. And political technology describes technologies deployed by specific political groups or parties in exclusion of another. The civic tech movement is largely recognized to have gotten its start around 2007 in response to cuts in government spending prompted by the recession.