Space Dynamics and Rise of Digital Geographies: A Study in Spatialities of Emergent Technologies, Communications Patterns and Digital-population Interface

Abstract

The digital technologies have had an unprecedented influence on people’s interconnectivity, spatial interactions and kind of spatial differences occur in the world. A technology-dependenturban life has developed further and is seen as a placeless phenomenon. The mass consumption of emergent technologies is a newer reality of the emerging urban class and the new aspiration peoples in the global urban south. In studying geographical implications of this digital reality and technologies is crucial. Attempts have been made earlier, however, less engagement has been on how such a transition and digital-population interface occurs from non-digital to digital environments. Thus, digital media does help in build and reinforce a physical sense of place and the factors associated within. The production of new place which is different from the one conventionally understood and perceived is a newer realty. Within this context, a critical assessment of smart city development practices, in India and in the global urban south is quintessential. The present study is an attempt in this direction and addresses are following objectives: i) to explain the ontology and epistemology of (digital) technology(ies)and the underlying process; ii) to discuss embeddedness of urban transitions, the emergence of digital environments and the production of new place; and iii) to interpret the role of smart city development in the making and re-making of place and its experience.