Smart Cities and Social Divide: Spatial Justice in the Age of Urban Tech

Abstract

The proliferation of smart city technologies promises enhanced urban efficiency and improved quality of life, yet these innovations are simultaneously creating new forms of spatial inequality and social exclusion. This paper examines the paradox of how urban technologies designed to optimize city functions are exacerbating existing social divides and creating novel patterns of spatial injustice. Through analysis of digital infrastructure deployment, algorithmic governance systems, and technology-driven urban transformations, this study reveals three primary mechanisms through which smart cities perpetuate social inequality: (1) uneven access to digital infrastructure that reinforces existing spatial hierarchies, (2) algorithmic bias in urban service delivery that systematically disadvantages marginalized communities, and (3) technology-induced gentrification that displaces vulnerable populations from increasingly digitized urban spaces. The research demonstrates that while smart city initiatives aim to create more efficient and livable urban environments, their implementation often follows market-driven logics that prioritize affluent neighborhoods and technologically literate populations. This analysis draws on case studies from major smart city initiatives globally and proposes frameworks for inclusive urban technology governance that center spatial justice and equitable development. The findings suggest that achieving truly smart cities requires fundamental shifts in how urban technologies are conceived, deployed, and governed to ensure they serve all urban residents rather than deepening existing social divides.