Marcus Foth - Böcker

Digital Participation through Social Living Labs connects two largely separate debates: On the one hand, high speed internet access and associated technologies are often heralded as a means to bring about not only connectivity, but also innovation, economic development, new jobs, and regional prosperity. On the other hand, community development research has established that access by itself is necessary but not sufficient to foster digital participation for the broadest possible range of individuals.

Edited by leading scholars from the fields of education, youth studies, urban informatics, librarianship, communication technology, and digital media studies, this book is positioned as a link to connect these debates. It brings together an international collection of empirically grounded case studies by researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds. They advance knowledge that fosters digital participation by identifying the specific digital needs, issues and practices of different types of communities as they seek to take advantage of access to digital technologies. Collectively, these cases propose new ways for enabling residents to develop their digital confidence and skills both at home and in their local community, particularly through a 'social living labs' approach. The book is organised around key focus areas: digital skills enhancement, youth entrepreneurship, connected learning, community digital storytelling, community-led digital initiatives and policy development.

Highlights that high speed internet is necessary that high speed internet access is necessary but not sufficient to resolve digital divides and foster social inclusion; Brings together international, empirically grounded case studies to identify digital needs, issues and practices of different communities, and contextualises these with expert comment; Presents contributions from multiple disciplines, with most chapters incorporating more than one disciplinary background; Gives insight on the place of the digital in contemporary society; Illustrates the innovative potential of social living labs to foster digital learning and participation in a variety of community contexts.

Climate change, rapid urbanisation, pandemics, as well as innovations in technologies such as blockchain, AI and IoT are all impacting urban space. One response to such changes has been to make cities ecologically sustainable and 'smart'. The 'eco smart city' for instance uses networked sensing, cloud and mobile computing to optimise, control, and regulate urban processes and resources. From real-time bus information to autonomous electric vehicles, smart parking, and smart street lighting, such initiatives are often presented as a social and environmental good.Critics, however, increasingly argue that technologically driven, and efficiency-led approaches are too simplistic to deal with the complexities of urban life. Sustainability in the smart city is predominantly performed in limited ways that leave little room for participation and citizen agency despite government efforts to integrate innovative technologies in more equitable ways. More importantly, there is a growing awareness that a human-centred notion of cities, in which urban space is designed for, and inhabited by, humans only, is no longer tenable. Within the age of the Anthropocene - a term used to refer to a new geological era in which human activity is transforming Earth systems, accelerating climate change and causing mass extinctions - scholars and practitioners are working generatively by acknowledging the entanglements between human and non-human others (including plants, animals, insects, as well as soil, water, and sensors and their data) in urban life.In Designing More-than-Human Smart Cities, renowned researchers and practitioners from urban planning, architecture, environmental humanities, geography, design, arts, and computing critically explore smart cities beyond a human-centred approach. They respond to the complex interrelations between human and non-human others in urban space. Through theory, policy and practice (past and present), and thinking speculatively about how smart cities may evolve in the future, the book makes a timely contribution to lively, contemporary scientific and political debates on genuinely sustainable smart cities.

Climate change, rapid urbanisation, pandemics, as well as innovations in technologies such as blockchain, AI and IoT are all impacting urban space. One response to such changes has been to make cities ecologically sustainable and 'smart'. The 'eco smart city' for instance uses networked sensing, cloud and mobile computing to optimise, control, and regulate urban processes and resources. From real-time bus information to autonomous electric vehicles, smart parking, and smart street lighting, such initiatives are often presented as a social and environmental good.Critics, however, increasingly argue that technologically driven, and efficiency-led approaches are too simplistic to deal with the complexities of urban life. Sustainability in the smart city is predominantly performed in limited ways that leave little room for participation and citizen agency despite government efforts to integrate innovative technologies in more equitable ways. More importantly, there is a growing awareness that a human-centred notion of cities, in which urban space is designed for, and inhabited by, humans only, is no longer tenable. Within the age of the Anthropocene - a term used to refer to a new geological era in which human activity is transforming Earth systems, accelerating climate change and causing mass extinctions - scholars and practitioners are working generatively by acknowledging the entanglements between human and non-human others (including plants, animals, insects, as well as soil, water, and sensors and their data) in urban life.In Designing More-than-Human Smart Cities, renowned researchers and practitioners from urban planning, architecture, environmental humanities, geography, design, arts, and computing critically explore smart cities beyond a human-centred approach. They respond to the complex interrelations between human and non-human others in urban space. Through theory, policy and practice (past and present), and thinking speculatively about how smart cities may evolve in the future, the book makes a timely contribution to lively, contemporary scientific and political debates on genuinely sustainable smart cities.

This book develops tools and techniques that will help urban residents gain access to urban computing. Metaphorically speaking, it is taking computing to the street by giving the general public – rather than just researchers and professionals – the power to leverage available city infrastructure and create solutions tailored to their individual needs. It brings together five articles that are based on presentations given at the Street Computing Workshop held on 24 November 2009 in Melbourne in conjunction with the Australian Computer-Human Interaction conference (OZCHI 2009).This volume focuses on applying urban informatics, urban and community sensing and open application programming interfaces (APIs) to the public space through the delivery of online services, on demand and in real time. It then offers a case study of how the city of Singapore has harnessed the potential of an online infrastructure so that residents and visitors can access services electronically.This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Urban Technology.

Blockchain, a technology originally developed for cryptocurrency, has evolved into a versatile tool capable of driving significant change across industries and communities. Its decentralised, secure, and transparent nature has proven valuable in applications that transcend finance, impacting supply chains, digital governance, and sustainability practices. By enabling greater trust and accountability, blockchain technology can foster ethical solutions to global challenges, promoting transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency within sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and environmental management. This book explores blockchain’s role as a catalyst for meaningful change and its potential to contribute positively to our digital future.Structured into three parts—Industry, Community, and Planet—this book examines blockchain’s role in advancing (i) sustainable business practices, (ii) supporting fairer social systems, and (iii) addressing environmental goals. Each section presents diverse case studies and theoretical insights, showing how blockchain can be applied responsibly and ethically. From enhancing transparency in fashion supply chains to supporting smallholder farmers, and from reshaping public governance to promoting the circular economy, the book offers a thorough understanding of blockchain’s transformative capabilities. It highlights interdisciplinary research and applied projects across the globe that exemplify blockchain’s capacity to serve societal and environmental purposes.Ideal for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals, this book provides practical insights into blockchain’s potential beyond the hype. Whether you are in technology, social sciences, or environmental studies, Blockchain for Good serves as an essential resource for anyone interested in exploring how blockchain can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world.

This book develops tools and techniques that will help urban residents gain access to urban computing. Metaphorically speaking, it is taking computing to the street by giving the general public – rather than just researchers and professionals – the power to leverage available city infrastructure and create solutions tailored to their individual needs. It brings together five articles that are based on presentations given at the Street Computing Workshop held on 24 November 2009 in Melbourne in conjunction with the Australian Computer-Human Interaction conference (OZCHI 2009).This volume focuses on applying urban informatics, urban and community sensing and open application programming interfaces (APIs) to the public space through the delivery of online services, on demand and in real time. It then offers a case study of how the city of Singapore has harnessed the potential of an online infrastructure so that residents and visitors can access services electronically.This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Urban Technology.

Action research is now a well-documented and well-accepted research methodology. Moreover, it is especially appropriate in new media research, where innovation and change are continual, and where processes and outcomes are usually not predictable and often involve fuzzy and subjective human elements. This book offers a systematic, in-depth academic overview of the application of action research methods to the field of new media. In this space, it is the first publication of its kind in what is a new but rapidly growing field. The book is divided into two sections. Introducing the two key concepts, namely, new media and action research, the first section describes the underlying principles, processes, questions, methods and tools that are relevant to an action research approach to new media inquiry. This is followed by a deeper exploration of three advanced, innovative approaches to action research and new media: ethnographic, network, and anticipatory action research. The third and final section presents four case studies and their individual applications of action research in different new media contexts.

Action research is now a well-documented and well-accepted research methodology. Moreover, it is especially appropriate in new media research, where innovation and change are continual, and where processes and outcomes are usually not predictable and often involve fuzzy and subjective human elements. This book offers a systematic, in-depth academic overview of the application of action research methods to the field of new media. In this space, it is the first publication of its kind in what is a new but rapidly growing field. The book is divided into two sections. Introducing the two key concepts, namely, new media and action research, the first section describes the underlying principles, processes, questions, methods and tools that are relevant to an action research approach to new media inquiry. This is followed by a deeper exploration of three advanced, innovative approaches to action research and new media: ethnographic, network, and anticipatory action research. The third and final section presents four case studies and their individual applications of action research in different new media contexts.

This unique book advances the emerging field of human-building interaction (HBI), which examines how people experience, influence, and co-evolve with the buildings they inhabit. Moving beyond conventional notions of building performance and environmental control, the volume highlights HBI as a human-centred, interdisciplinary framework for designing responsive, equitable, and sustainable built environments.  It positions HBI as a vital transdisciplinary field for addressing twenty-first-century challenges related to climate resilience, human wellbeing, and technological change.Organised into three parts, the book first explores “Built Environments for Health and Wellbeing,” investigating how spatial, material, and digital conditions affect comfort, inclusivity, and everyday experiences. The second part, “Built Environments for Climate Action,” examines adaptive and resilient infrastructures that respond to climate imperatives—from thermally comfortable public spaces to climate-positive mega-events and AI-mediated community engagement. The final part, “Built Environments for Desirable Futures,” looks ahead to emergent design paradigms, workplace transformations, and intelligent environments that integrate ecological, social, and technological dimensions.  Across twelve chapters, contributors present original empirical research, conceptual frameworks, and design experiments that demonstrate how HBI can shape future-ready built environments. Case studies span diverse contexts—from Nordic Superblocks and Olympic stadia to post-occupancy workplaces and extended-reality archives—showcasing the breadth of HBI’s applications and its relevance to both research and practice.An invaluable collection, the book brings together contributions from international scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of architecture, building science, and interaction design.  It offers valuable insights for architects, designers, engineers, urban planners, and human-computer interaction researchers seeking to understand and design for the complex relationships between people, technology, and the built world.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 5th International Conference on User Science and Engineering, i-USEr 2018, held in Puchong, Malaysia, in August 2018.The 32 papers accepted for i-USEr 2018 were selected from 72 submissions with a thorough double-blind review process. The selected papers illustrate how HCI is inclusive and omnipresent within the domains of informatics, Internet of Things, Quality of Life, and others. They are organized in the following topical sections: design, UX and usability; HCI and underserved; technology and adoption; human centered computing; HCI and IT infrastructure; and HCI and analytics.

Edited by thought leaders in the fields of urban informatics and urban interaction design, this book brings together case studies and examples from around the world to discuss the role that urban interfaces, citizen action, and city making play in the quest to create and maintain not only secure and resilient, but productive, sustainable and viable urban environments. The book debates the impact of these trends on theory, policy and practice. The individual chapters are based on blind peer reviewed contributions by leading researchers working at the intersection of the social / cultural, technical / digital, and physical / spatial domains of urbanism scholarship. The book will appeal not only to researchers and students, but also to a vast number of practitioners in the private and public sector interested in accessible content that clearly and rigorously analyses the potential offered by urban interfaces, mobile technology, and location-based services in the context of engaging people with open, smart and participatory urban environments.

Edited by thought leaders in the fields of urban informatics and urban interaction design, this book brings together case studies and examples from around the world to discuss the role that urban interfaces, citizen action, and city making play in the quest to create and maintain not only secure and resilient, but productive, sustainable and viable urban environments. The book debates the impact of these trends on theory, policy and practice. The individual chapters are based on blind peer reviewed contributions by leading researchers working at the intersection of the social / cultural, technical / digital, and physical / spatial domains of urbanism scholarship. The book will appeal not only to researchers and students, but also to a vast number of practitioners in the private and public sector interested in accessible content that clearly and rigorously analyses the potential offered by urban interfaces, mobile technology, and location-based services in the context of engaging people with open, smart and participatory urban environments.