Gabriela and Ravi
👩🏽🎓 Gabriela and 👨🏿💻 Ravi meet at an interdisciplinary conference in Lisbon and share their views on smart cities in colonial contexts.
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Gabriela
Hi, I’m Gabriela. I’m a sociologist focusing on post-colonial studies in South America. What about you?
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Ravi
Nice to meet you, Gabriela. I’m Ravi. I work in IT, mostly on smart city infrastructure.
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Gabriela
Oh, smart cities! That sounds futuristic. But I wonder—how do you approach issues of equity in your projects?
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Ravi
Equity? Well, we’re more about efficiency and innovation. You know, solving practical problems like traffic jams or energy waste.
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Gabriela
I see. But sometimes, focusing only on efficiency can leave certain groups behind. In South America, colonial histories often shape which communities get access to resources.
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Ravi
That’s a good point, but colonialism was ages ago, wasn’t it? Does it really still affect people now?
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Gabriela
Absolutely. The legacies are everywhere—in land ownership, education, even urban planning. Many indigenous communities still face systemic exclusion because of it.
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Ravi
Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that. But how does that connect to smart cities?
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Gabriela
Well, think about whose data gets prioritized. If policies are based on the needs of wealthier, urban populations, rural or marginalized groups might be ignored.
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Ravi
That’s a fair critique. We do tend to focus on cities with more resources—it’s easier to implement technology there.
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Gabriela
Exactly. And that’s why it’s important to consider the historical context. Otherwise, tech might unintentionally widen those gaps.
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Ravi
You’re right. I should start asking more questions about who benefits from our projects.
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Gabriela
That’s a good start. Recognizing the bias in systems can lead to more inclusive solutions.
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Ravi
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Gabriela. This is definitely making me rethink some things.
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Gabriela
I’m glad to hear that. These conversations matter more than we realize.
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