Incorporating the “murmur of the idiot” (Stengers, 2005) into situations in which new relationships with our ‘smart’ surroundings can be built.

Participants
Alison Powell, London School of Economics
Gyorgyi Galik, Royal College of Art, London/Umbrellium
Jennifer Gabrys, University of Goldsmiths
Mike Michael, University of Exeter
Noortje Marres, CIM, University of Warwik
Ola Söderström, University of Neuchâtel
Uriel Fogué, ESAYA, UEM

CISP & Fondecyt N°1180062

In recent years, the notion of smartness has gained pervasive prominence in various spheres of social life and the ways that cities can be known, planned and governed. Data collection is now enabled through embedded sensors and devices in urban space, particularly in the development of the Internet of Things. Autonomous mobility and other smart city initiatives make cities appear to be manageable and controllable in (near) real-time through smart analytics and dashboards. In developing these innovations, new modes of laboratorization and experimentation are deployed in order to test technological ‘solutions’. Against the grain of a sterile technotopia proposed by the smart city, we want to problematize the various kinds of smartness that are programmed and inscribed into this debate, as well as question the newness of it. What, in other words, are the failures and breakdowns that slow down and counteract the supposed smoothness of the smart city? Through a one-day workshop we invite researchers to creatively incorporate the “murmur of the idiot” (Stengers, 2005) into situations in which new relationships with our ‘smart’ surroundings can be built.

During the event, each presenter discusses an idiotic object or situation. Each speaker, together with the audience, will then try to further the idiocy of other speakers cases.

0930
Introduction: Martin Tironi

0950-1110
(chair: Michael Guggenheim)
Mike Michael: Toward the Untoward: Idiocy, Multiplicity and The London Fatberg
Gyorgyi Galik: If We Are So Smart, Then Why Aren't We Healthier?

1130-1250
(chair Alex Wilkie)
Jennifer Gabrys: The Participatory Platform in the Idiotic City
Alison Powell: The Unknowable City. A New Ethics of Sense

1250-1350 - lunch

1350-1510
(chair: Marsha Rosengarten)
Noortje Marres: Title TBC
Uriel Fogué: The Lazy Reading Club: Prototyping the Idiotic City in Cushioned Infrastructures

1530-1610
(chair: Martin Tironi)
Ola Söderström: A Schizo-Analysis of the Smart City

1610
Final comments: Liam Healy, Fabian Namberger

Organising committee
- Michael Guggenheim (Goldsmiths, University of London)
- Martin Tironi (School of Design, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
- Liam Healy (Goldsmiths, University of London)
- Fabian Namberger (Goldsmiths, University of London)

Event is free, please register here: https://idiotic-cities.eventbrite.co.uk

Dates & times

Date	Time	Add to calendar
5 Jun 2018	9:30am - 4:30pm	apple google outlook

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