What is the relation between digital and environmental sustainability? How can data contribute to a more sustainable smart city? In this introductory audio paper, we present the leading themes of the series. The aim is to stimulate debate and inspire people to get back control over data and their use in city policy, towards a more human-centered smart city. 

Transcript can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi and Walker Swindell
Text: Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco

Introduction to the Series of Audio Papers: Mediating Sustainable Cities

In this audio paper, we focus on the role of media in the creation of public spaces, both online and in urban context. We show unconventional use of media by two actors Banksy and the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement. Public space is the necessary building stone on which a more human-centered smart city can be built. The audio paper is based on the work of Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco. The two authors tell us how their research came about and highlight relevant issues.

Transcript and related papers can be found at: https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco
Text: Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco

Audio Paper 1 - Digital and Physical Public Space

Ageing, vulnerability and the importance of care are the starting point of this audio paper that highlights the relationship between the human and the natural world, as one of co-constitution and reciprocal sustenance. Environmental sustainability has received attention thanks to the active involvement of the younger generations, but social media analysis shows that the elderly could also play an important role in reshaping the discourse on sustainable development, given their interest in nature. The current pandemic has shown the vulnerability of cities and challenged the smart city agenda. Can we conceive new ways of merging the rural and the urban, to support environmental and social sustainability? Paola Monachesi presents her view based on her research and personal experience.

Transcript and related papers can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi
Text: Paola Monachesi

Audio Paper 3 - The Elderly, Care, and Environmental Sustainability

In this audio paper, the two curators of the series Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco, engage in a discussion and a reflection on some of the aspects of the research presented in this series: communities (i.e., elderly and creative migrants), the role of media and their impact in creating an alternative storytelling related to the human-centered sustainable cities.

Transcript and related papers can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco
Text: Paola Monachesi and Marina Turco

Audio Paper 4 - Communities between Digital and Environmental Sustainability

How do we collect data from social media? What are the challenges? What are the ethical questions related to data collection? In this audio paper, Paola Monachesi explains how to identify communities in social media and the methodology she has developed to this end. The data collection is at the basis of the work presented in the series. It makes more evident what we all know: how easy it is to detect and categorize people based on the data they produce.

Transcript and related papers can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi
Text: Paola Monachesi

Audio Paper 5 - Data Collection from Social Media

In this audio paper, Paola Monachesi presents an innovative methodology that combines a language analysis of (geo-tagged) Twitter data with a social network analysis. While the language analysis reveals the interests and activities of the users analysed, the social network analysis provides a geographical visualization of their communicative interactions. This methodology can make a relevant contribution to the use of Twitter geodata in the analysis of communication for urban studies research. It sheds light on a possible storytelling behind the smart city discourse. This is important knowledge for urban planners and policy makers as is knowledge based on spontaneous data.

Transcript and related papers can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi
Text: Paola Monachesi

Audio Paper 6 - Quantitative Analysis of Social Media Data

Quantitative analysis, in certain cases, might only confirm what we already know. To discover new connections and provide new insights, we might need more than that. In this audio paper, Paola Monachesi presents an innovative mixed-methods approach to social media data analysis. It comprises a qualitative phase, based on a thematic analysis, in which the quantitative results are further interpreted to reveal the deeper meaning of the data. Investigating the themes of discussion allows for a more accurate interpretation of the message broadcasted.

Transcript and related papers can be found at:
https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi
Text: Paola Monachesi

Audio Paper 7 - A Mixed-Method Approach to Social Media Data Analysis

What should a sustainable city look like? A group of international students engaged on a debate on this question and provide their view based on their own experience. The debate originated in class and was triggered by Paola Monachesi’s papers on skilled creative migrants and the smart city. The students raise relevant issues such as the importance of appropriate housing, work opportunities, green spaces, good transportation, clean air, digital infrastructure, data ownership, as well as the risk of surveillance and the need for more active participation.

Transcript and related papers can be found at: https://mediatingsustcities.sites.uu.nl/audio-papers/

Participants: Paola Monachesi, Vlad Enasescu, Noemi Fábián, Sofia Pinto Pestana Reis Santos, Christophorus Ariobumi Praditya and Josine Schaap

Paola Monachesi & Co.