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After many of us shared instances of discrimination in our own life/observations of systemic discrimination here in the Netherlands, we became interested in how prejudice
has the potential to become "encoded" into the urban landscape of Rotterdam itself.

During our 2nd tutor meeting with Caglar, we agreed to investigate the notion of a smart city delineated within a spatial boundary, and decided on the Afrikaanderwijk in the south of Rotterdam. Another realization that day was how often language came up in our discussions about discrimination, and thus that prompted the question as to how the sound sensors may be used in a smart city. That set us on two research paths.

Learning more about the Afrikaanderwijk
- Afrikaanderwijk Coöperatie
- visit to the stadsarchief
- Niffo Gallery

Learning more about smart cities
- Contacting Vivien Butot
- https://2019.bitsoffreedom.nl/

Recordings:

16/09

17/09

SASKIA SASSEN - inequality//gendering//digitization of cities, states in the world economy

PHILOMENA ESSED -
professor of critical race, gender, leadership studies; author of "Everyday Racism" (on NL)

Film essay "I'm here wherever you need it" (AI and isolation)

Visual reference: La jetee by Chris marker

How Smart is Your City? Paper from Science on ambient intelligence
(only visible in edit mode)

Vivien Butot --> is 1984 an apt metaphor for our surveillance society?

THURSDAY THE 24TH OF SEPTEMBER

Thursday morning at Caglar's

Afternoon meeting with Sammi

November 24, 1995
In front of the town hall on the Coolsingel, students, parents and teachers from schools in the Afrikaanderwijk demonstrate for more classrooms.

Description:
Protest against rent increase by tenants with the Tuinstad Zuidwijk Foundation in Afrikaanderwijk.
Dating:
June 30, 1994

The Riots

Riots in Afrikaanderwijk
Description:
Neighborhood residents throw household effects of Turkish guest workers on the street.
09-08-1972 - 16-08-1972

Riots in Afrikaanderwijk
Description:
Police officer on horseback takes action against residents of the neighborhood who protest against what they see as the increasing concentration of foreign workers in the neighborhood.
Dating:
11-08-1972 - 13-08-1972
Protest Afrikaanderwijk

Description:
Afrikaanderwijk protest against dilapidation.
Dating:
01-12-1974 - 29-12-1974

THE MARKET:
St. Nicholas on the south
Description:
Sinterklaas on the market (presumably) in the Afrikaanderwijk.
Dating:
11/15/1967

Official opening market on the Pretorialaan
Description:
Director P. Rijkee of the Market Service Department and G. Stam, chairman of the Central Ambulatory Trade Association, open the market on the Pretorialaan in the Afrikaanderwijk.
Dating:
02-11-1966

Opening of the market on the Pretorialaan
Description:
Overview of the market on the Pretorialaan in the Afrikaanderwijk.
Dating:
02-11-1966

REFLECTIONS - 29 SEPTEMBER

Nadine Khalil

Reflection/poem Francesca

PROJECT IDEAS:

Francesca:

Organizing a workshop with the people of Afrikaanderwijk (either in the primary school or in the Coop). They work in groups.

We give them:
1: a framework: Invent a science fiction short story about the future of Afrikaanderwijk (it can be very specific here: number of characters, scenario - for example the smart city- etc..)
2: a camera (disposable analogue cameras?)
3: costumes, props (these can be used as inputs to write their stories)

With our help, they first write the story and then they go around the neighborhood taking pictures illustrating every step of their story.

We collect all the material: the stories and the pictures, that we as a group will revise. We pick the best story and we “fill in the gaps” creating an audiovisual product: the pictures that the people took will be the main visual medium, (we may add something more if we need, which we will either create or fetch from other sources), the sound will be made of a recorded voice over (someone reading the story) and sounds recorded by us in the neighbor if needed sound effects created by us and music.

The goal is to make a collaborative piece with the people in Afrikaanderwijk to imagine together the future of the neighbor (not necessarily in a realistic way), without excluding their point of view or their creativity from the narrative. Being this an experiment we cannot predict what the outcome will look like nor how and if will be relevant for them or the city.

Meeting with Marijn at Het Gemaal on September 30th (Sueda)

So basically, I totally freestyled the meeting because I had no clue about what we wanted to ask him. I panicked in my head but then calmly introduced who we were and then I told him about our meeting with the primary school. Then I introduced Francesca’s project idea about writing science fiction with the kids. I asked if we could use his venue and he accepted and wanted us to email a date so he can check. He said he has lots of contacts and knows that looking for personal interaction in the neighborhood works better than just using flyers or such (if we wanted to, so just a tip). They are just an open space and can help with anything if needed. Might have to pay a little rent if we want the space for anything but nothing too crazy. He knew nothing about the smart city or surveillance btw

Nadja, Nathan and Francesca

Carmels reflection

Carmels work in progress network of a community, a city, a smart city.

Sueda & Asim's form