Smart Cities, Digital Inequalities, and the Challenge of Inclusion

Highlights: What are the main findings? New smart cities have deepened social and digital inequalities among the technologically savvy residents and those who are usually left behind due to their age, lack of abilities, or resources. The reflective framework for inclusive smart cities offers a comprehensive and holistic approach from the perspective of who is included or excluded, what is the value of digital inclusion, and what are the key premises of inclusive digital governance. What is the implication of the main finding? The framework is meant to act as a starting point in the design of inclusive digital urban policies and strategies and can also be employed to assess the directions taken to date by city governments towards more inclusive practices. While cities on a global scale embrace smartness as a roadmap for efficient urban governance, disparities persist in the domain of digital accessibility, literacy, and skills, with manifestations of digital exclusion, ageism, and ableism prevalent in most digital urban experiences. Despite their commitment to bridging the digital divide, governments lack comprehensive frameworks to inform policymaking and action for inclusion in smart cities. This review paper aims to deepen the understanding of the multifaceted challenges confronting the governance of inclusion in smart cities. Drawing from a review of research encompassing digital inclusion, digital transitions, smart cities, and urban governance, we discuss who is included and excluded in the governance of smart cities; what are the necessary conditions to be met for smart cities to be considered inclusive; and how can smart city governance deliver public value and equal benefits for all. As a novel contribution, this paper outlines a reflective framework to inform citizen inclusion in the governance of smart cities. This framework is meant to act as a starting point in the design of inclusive digital urban policies, and can also be employed to assess the directions taken to date in public organizations towards more inclusive urban practices.