April 22, 2020

April 28: “Mobility Apps and the Politics of Platform Urbanism” Research Seminar from PhD Candidate Peter Dunn

PhD Candidate Peter Dunn will present his ongoing research into the work of pervasive digital technologies in shaping urban actors and the ways they manage competing claims on the city–that is, their politics. His research applies recent theorizations of the politics of platforms and of an emerging “platform urbanism” to qualitative research on practices surrounding new app-based transportation technologies, including those behind ride-hailing, bike-share systems, and real-time navigation. Peter will argue that as the city becomes a provider not just of mobility infrastructure but of mobility platforms, the visions and values of urban actors are materialized in new ways. He traces this shift across three aspects of digital urban politics: its location, its participants, and the types of conflicts it addresses. This analysis asks planners to expand their understanding of participation in the city to include the role of smartphone apps.

Peter Dunn is a Doctoral Candidate in the Interdisciplinary PhD in Urban Design and Planning.