![]() Rapid industrialization from the mid-nineteenth century onwards saw the growth of new transport and communication technologies which furthered the pace of change. As important nodes within commercial and communication networks, large towns and cities became the natural site for innovation and adaptation (Mumford 1973). Historically, the growth of the urban environment has always been intimately connected with technology. The picture is certainly complex, yet it seems one thing at least is clear: the rise of cities and the increasing ubiquity of urban life is already one of the world’s most pressing issues (UNFPA 2007). Yet, as the UNFPA recognizes, population growth will be greatest in smaller towns and cities, predominantly based in Asia and Africa. Of these, five have metropolitan areas with more than 10 million people. According to its National Bureau of Statistics, as of 2011, China has 160 cities with a population of over a million. By 1950 only London and New York had populations of more than 8 million by 2002 there were 22 "megalopolises" of this size (McQuire 2008: 16). According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA 2007), 2007 was the first time that more than half the world’s population was classed as living in cities they estimate that by mid-century this will have risen to two thirds (2011).Īs a consequence of this, cities are also getting bigger and more complex. This trend looks set to dominate the twenty-first century. ![]() The growth of cities was most evident in the United States, where the percentage of those living in the countryside fell from 50 per cent in 1920, to below 3 per cent in 1980 (Short 1991: 104). It was only until the early twentieth century that city living became a predominant characteristic of modernity (Mumford 1973: 40). Keywords: creative writing, smart cities, digital technology, social media This paper, drawing on the outcomes of a small project, argues that creative writing can play a fundamental role within the development of the smart city, empowering citizens to redefine "relational space" in terms of our deeper need for "home". As post-industrial cities become more complex, and their communities more dispersed, questions such as "where is home?" and "where and how do I belong?" become increasingly pertinent for a deeper, more sustained understanding of "relational space" and its impact on how we might experience our lives. This paper argues that these transformations are intimately linked to wider changes in thought and experience. Possibilities abound in terms of how citizens might interact with services, the environment and each other. The city, of course, has always been intimately connected with technology, yet it is clear that this most recent innovation constitutes a significant reconfiguration of the urban experience. ![]() Although there is no exact definition, the smart city is predicated on both the rise of digital technology and ubiquitous wireless connectivity. This paper explores McQuire’s concept of "relational space", a term he uses to describe the transformed horizon of social relationships within the smart city. ![]()
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