The Palletized Citizen: Surveillance, Mobility, and Algorithmic Urbanism

Gilles Paché
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Gilles Paché: Aix-Marseille University, France

International Journal of E-Planning Research (IJEPR), 2025, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Urban environments are increasingly governed by digital infrastructures that mirror the vision of supply chain management. With the deployment of digital twins and real-time surveillance systems, cities are becoming spaces where citizens are monitored, sorted, and routed with the same efficiency-driven principles applied to goods in logistical networks. The emergence of what may be called the palletized citizen reflects this shift: individuals are treated as standardized, trackable units, whose trajectories through urban space are shaped by algorithms prioritizing flow optimization over human agency. While proponents emphasize gains in safety and efficiency, these technologies introduce profound ethical dilemmas. The integration of facial recognition and predictive behavior modeling points to a broader global trend that risks normalizing hyper-surveillance. This paper critically examines how the digital management of urban life increasingly aligns with logistical rationality, raising urgent questions about autonomy, privacy, and the future of public spaces.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:igg:jepr00:v:14:y:2025:i:1:p:1-20

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