Digital Lives in the Global City: Contesting Infrastructures

Digital technologies have transformed the world, influencing communication, love, learning, creation, production, distribution, and consumption. Digital Lives in the Global City explores how urban life is being reshaped by advanced communication technologies, connecting people and places across vast distances while also extending the working day into personal time and space. The book intersperses critical scholarship with provocative short works from artists, activists, and citizens to engage with issues such as unsafe and illegal buildings, migrant work, digital debt, and targeted policing in global cities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 308 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2020
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press

Digital technologies have revolutionized the world, reshaping the way we communicate, love, learn, create, produce, distribute, and consume. In the book "Digital Lives in the Global City," we delve into the intricate connections between urban life, governance, and the economy, exploring how advancing communication technologies are remaking these aspects of our lives.

Digital infrastructures have connected people and places across vast distances, blurring the boundaries between work and personal time and space. They have also empowered financial institutions and enhanced state and corporate surveillance capabilities. However, this technological progress has come with its own set of challenges.

"Digital Lives in the Global City" interweaves critical scholarship with provocative short works from artists, activists, and citizens to engage with a wide range of issues arising from digital infrastructure. These issues include struggles over unsafe and illegal buildings in Mumbai, the conditions of migrant work in Singapore, the question of digital debt in Toronto, and targeted policing in New York. Through this nuanced exploration, we uncover the profound connections between digital technologies and the social life of global cities.

The book highlights the ways in which digital technologies have both facilitated and challenged social movements, such as the Arab Spring and Black Lives Matter protests. It also examines the impact of digital technologies on urban planning, governance, and the economy, exploring how they have shaped the development of cities and the distribution of resources.

Furthermore, "Digital Lives in the Global City" raises important ethical questions about the role of technology in shaping our lives. It explores the potential benefits and risks of digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things, and examines how they can be used to promote social justice, equality, and sustainability.

In conclusion, "Digital Lives in the Global City" is a thought-provoking and comprehensive exploration of the ways in which digital technologies are transforming our world. It provides a valuable insight into the complex relationships between urban life, governance, and the economy, and highlights the need for a nuanced and ethical approach to the development and deployment of digital infrastructure.

Weight: 574g
Dimension: 168 x 241 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780774862387