Sociological reflections on smart cities and city times

Abstract

This chapter presents a set of sociological reflections on the ethical frameworks of smart cities and the possible future scenarios of this type of city. In particular, it emphasized the role of smart cities in the well-being of the people who occupy and live them. That is why special attention is paid to the concept of “city times,” closely related to the lifestyles that take place in any social space, such as the city. And in this context, the potential of this concept as a framework for the design of public policies, closely linked to the SDGs and therefore useful for action research to achieve these goals. In this sense, the reader will find in this chapter reflections on (a) aspects that are scientifically crucial for healthy social life, (b) The role of sociology in the construction of smart cities and in the achievement of the SDGs, (c) the relevance of knowing the social reality of municipalities, and (d) how local governments can participate in processes of social, cultural, technological, and economic change. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.