A City is Not a Computer by Shannon Mattern: book review

A City is Not a Computer: Other Urban Intelligences (2021) is about cities in general, rather than any particular city.

The author admits to being disappointed by computational, algorithmic, data-driven technology to design cities, to plan urban areas, to map out how we live: ‘I’m annoyed by its elasticity, ubiquity, and deceptiveness – and its sullying association with real estate development, “technosolutionism” and neoliberalism.’ This is why she examines local and indigenous intelligence and knowledge over ‘smart tech.’

The author divides the book into four sections: 1) City Console – the limitations of cybernetic management, 2) a City is not a Computer – a review of other forms of urban intelligence, 3) Public Knowledge – the knowledge and social infrastructure of public libraries, and 4) Maintenance Codes – the importance of invisible, situational knowledge.

Digitalization dashboards and data intermediaries are necessary, but she questions the limited focus on cultural and critical information literacy. The coronavirus pandemic demonstrated not only tihe importance of virtual spaces, and equitable access to data and information, but also the need to sustain communal ties, particularly physical ties.

I like Shannon Mattern’s emphasis on libraries as social infrastructure and urban intelligence. I like her thoughts on constituting more diverse, open, inclusive urban forms. I like her imagining: ‘Imagine if we cultivated urban rootstock that prioritizes environmental, racial, and digital justice over efficiency … blending computational logics with feral intelligences, sensory experiences, and local knowledge.’

And I like her use of T. S. Eliot’s 1934 poem The Rock,

Where is the Life we have lost in living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in the information?

But, I don’t like the cover.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

MARTINA NICOLLS

MartinaNicollsWebsite

SUBSCRIBE TO MARTINA NICOLLS FOR NEWS AND UPDATES

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Apes go to the movies - and remember the scenes

Apes remember major events in movies, even after a single viewing. That’s the findings of primate research in Japan (New Scientist, September 17, 2015). Researchers at the Kyoto University in Japan conducted experiments with two species of apes – chimpanzees and bonobo primates – to test their memory and recall. Instead of using food to test memory, they used films. The researchers made two short movies to show to the apes. Fumihiro Kano and his colleague, Satoshi Hirata, starred in the films with another person dressed as an ape. They wanted to have strong dramatic scenes to see if the apes remembered them. In the first 30-second movie the character ape bursts through a door on the right hand side (there is also a door on the left hand side) and attacks the two researchers (characters) 18 seconds after the start. After 24 seconds a human character choses one of two weapons next to each other and launched a revenge attack on the ape. In the second 30-second movie t...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog