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Data (De)colonization: Case of the “Safe City” Project in Belgrade

Korac, Petar LU (2022) SIMV32 20211
Graduate School
Master of Science in Development Studies
Abstract (Swedish)
In my thesis, I follow the argument of the authors belonging to the school of decoloniality, who explore the phenomena of coloniality of power outside of historical colonialism. This gives me the freedom to look through decolonial lances into phenomena of undergoing colonization through data. By following the idea that data colonialism is a reality, not just a metaphor, I examined how data colonialism occurs in the “Safe City” project in Belgrade. Furthermore, I analyzed how different actors are influenced by data colonialism and how a group of activists challenges the ongoing top-down process of datafication. I used a single case study research design, using documents and articles on the internet as secondary data sources. Primary sources... (More)
In my thesis, I follow the argument of the authors belonging to the school of decoloniality, who explore the phenomena of coloniality of power outside of historical colonialism. This gives me the freedom to look through decolonial lances into phenomena of undergoing colonization through data. By following the idea that data colonialism is a reality, not just a metaphor, I examined how data colonialism occurs in the “Safe City” project in Belgrade. Furthermore, I analyzed how different actors are influenced by data colonialism and how a group of activists challenges the ongoing top-down process of datafication. I used a single case study research design, using documents and articles on the internet as secondary data sources. Primary sources were semi-structured interviews with experts and advocates for digital rights who are challenging datafication. Results indicate that colonization can happen if and when datafication begins through the centralized infrastructure for biometric data extraction and that beneficiaries of this process are most likely to be found in the political elite and private companies. At the same time, decolonization is practiced by activists through research and data collection, raising awareness, and community mobilization. (Less)
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author
Korac, Petar LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV32 20211
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
decoloniality, data colonization, datafication, big data, biometric surveillance, Safe City, data double
language
English
id
9074826
date added to LUP
2022-04-06 12:28:45
date last changed
2022-04-06 12:28:45
@misc{9074826,
  abstract     = {{In my thesis, I follow the argument of the authors belonging to the school of decoloniality, who explore the phenomena of coloniality of power outside of historical colonialism. This gives me the freedom to look through decolonial lances into phenomena of undergoing colonization through data. By following the idea that data colonialism is a reality, not just a metaphor, I examined how data colonialism occurs in the “Safe City” project in Belgrade. Furthermore, I analyzed how different actors are influenced by data colonialism and how a group of activists challenges the ongoing top-down process of datafication. I used a single case study research design, using documents and articles on the internet as secondary data sources. Primary sources were semi-structured interviews with experts and advocates for digital rights who are challenging datafication. Results indicate that colonization can happen if and when datafication begins through the centralized infrastructure for biometric data extraction and that beneficiaries of this process are most likely to be found in the political elite and private companies. At the same time, decolonization is practiced by activists through research and data collection, raising awareness, and community mobilization.}},
  author       = {{Korac, Petar}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Data (De)colonization: Case of the “Safe City” Project in Belgrade}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}