The series of audio papers “Mediating Sustainable Cities” focuses on digital and environmental sustainability in the context of the smart city. Digital and environmental sustainability are considered two aspects of the same problem: communities have lost control over data-driven process that are happening on a global arena.

 The smart city is based on digital data. Data can contribute to a better understanding and efficient management of urban processes. It is in this way that data and sustainability are linked. Data ownership plays an important role in environmental and social sustainability. We, as citizens, produce quite a lot of data through online and social media activities, but we do not own these data and we have no control on the way these data are being used.

 Each audio paper of the series presents a different aspect of the sustainability theme: media and public space, communities, urban sustainability, the importance of care, while the last three papers deal with research methodology, a crucial aspect of digital sustainability. The audio paper is an innovative medium. It is based on published scientific papers and its aim is to make results more easily available to the academic community.

We believe that research should inspire people to carry out action and regain political agency within their communities. For instance, by getting back control over data and their use in city policies. Data should serve the needs of the citizens and of the environment.

In the following audio paper, an overview of the series is provided:

Audio Paper 0: Introduction to the series of audio papers “Mediating Sustainable Cities”.

The series is based on the work of Paola Monachesi, researcher at Utrecht University and her collaborators.