Data and Urban Governance

Course Overview

Since the beginning of the 2000s, cities have witnessed a massive influx of data, transforming how cities are governed. Data has an impact on how city life is structured, as it influences coalitions, actors, instruments, policies, and forms of regulation. In this MOOC, we will look at this shift more closely: what has the advent of big data done to urban governance? Have platforms disrupted local authorities? How has big data changed local politics? How do we govern using algorithms? What is the place of citizens in the digital city? Is it still possible to be anonymous in the city? At the end of this course, you will be able to navigate the landscape of urban governance in the digital era, including its myriad actors and instruments; to decipher what drives ongoing transformations in how local governments are structured and operate; to analyze the contemporary changes in municipal service markets; and to understand what is at stake in terms of the creation and implementation of public policies when data comes to town. This MOOC is offered by the Digital Cities Chair of the Urban School of SciencesPo, funded by La Poste, RTE and the Caisse des Dépôts. Videos are in creative commons license BY NC