Digital technologies have become a significant topic for geographical studies. A myriad of new technological developments is shaping territories and changing social, economic, and political processes. Digital technologies are creating several opportunities for territories from the point of view of social change, news ways of governance, as well as new economic business models. Digital platforms appear in this context as an intermediator of these interactions and flows between different actors. At the same time, a new plethora of digital tools, including FinTech, GreenTech or Artificial Intelligence are providing new solutions for old problems. However, digital technologies also have raised several concerns. On the one hand, existent inequalities have deepened as a result of technological development. On the other hand, new digital divides are emerging.

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Digital inequalities are evident in many ways. It has been noted that digital production is concentrated in wealthier countries (Global North) and in social groups with higher social, cultural and economic capital. In this sense, there is a new process of digital neocolonialism, which implies the emergence of digital peripheries in which disparities regarding technological usage are more evident. Thus, we need to reflect about who is producing these new territorialities and who is participating in the online world. This can also lead us to question how the marginal voices of (gender, ethnic, class…) minorities can be emancipated through alternative digital practices.

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With this in mind, we need to understand if digital technologies are becoming a new source of hope for vulnerable territories, or if these technological developments are creating new challenges which need to be discussed and explored.

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We invite both conceptual and empirical papers that consider a critical perspective about the role of digital technologies and their challenges/effects on territory, including, but not limited  to:

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• Theoretical and/or epistemological discussions about digital technologies (challenges, opportunities, reflections);

• Platform economy, open innovation, ecosystems and value cocreation;

• Financial technologies (FinTech);

• Digital transition;

• Platforms and consumer experience (e-commerce, delivery);

• Gig economy and sharing economy (labour precarity; algorithmic management, Intermediation, Micro-Tasking and Deskilling processes);

• Digital inequalities and cyberdivisions (gender, ethnic, class, spatial);

• Digital geohumanities;

• Artificial intelligence;

• Privacy, surveillance, and data sovereignty;

• Platforms, Automation and Infrastructure;

• Smart City, Policies, Governance, Online Participation in planning processes;

• Innovative digital methodologies (biosensing; participatory platforms; apps; qualitative GIS).

 

All contributions should be sent in English. Authors will be notified of abstract/session acceptance by the organizers until May 31, 2023.

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Depending on the interest of the participants, we plan to organize a Special Issue on a peer-reviewed indexed journal in the field.

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We look forward to receiving your abstracts and session proposals. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions (digitalgeographies@gmail.com and danielaferreira2@campus.ul.pt)

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