The concept of the smart city as an ideological construct: an analysis of SCRD journal publications

Abstract

This article examines the concept of smart cities as an ideological construct, i.e., not only as a set of technological solutions, but also as a normative system of ideas, values, and power dynamics. The aim of the study is to reveal the principles underlying the vision of a smart city, who creates and implements it, and what critical tensions emerge in the scientific literature. The study was conducted using qualitative analysis of scientific literature based on publications in the Smart Cities and Regional Development (SCRD) journal. The articles analysed are systematised according to four directions: (1) the origin and notion of a smart city, (2) ideas and values, (3) creators and actors, and (4) criticism. The research shows that the smart city has evolved by combining the paradigms of digitization, sustainability, good governance, and citizen engagement. The SCRD journal literature highlights the core values of smart cities: transparency, openness, social inclusion, human rights, equality, environmental protection, improvement of quality of life, and urban efficiency. It has also been found that the smart city as an ideological construct is collectively created and supported by three main groups of actors: residents, local government, and the private sector. However, critically-minded literature reveals significant risks: cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the expansion of surveillance and control, the impact of disinformation, and the deepening of social and regional divisions. The article concludes that the smart city should be analyzed not only as a model of technological progress but also as an ideological construct with political, social, and democratic consequences.