Smart video surveillance in safety and security discourses: Unraveling drivers, promises, and sociotechnical imaginaries in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent

• In Event: Political and Social Discourses about Crime and Justice Panel 3

Abstract

Belgian urban spaces continuously transform themselves by, among other things, installing a large amount of smart video surveillance technologies. This study delves into the selection of specific video surveillance technologies aimed at addressing diverse safety and security challenges. The primary focus is on unravelling the driving forces and motivations influencing these preferences. Centered on Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent, our analysis encompasses key stakeholders from government, police, and the tech industry. This paper critically examines the safety and security discourses of these entities concerning the implementation of smart video surveillance technologies. Using NVivo, and various sociolinguistic categories that can support analytical procedures, we perform a critical discourse analysis on policy documents, surveys and interviews. Beyond the drivers and promises related to the implementation of certain smart video surveillance technologies, we also try to identify sociotechnical imaginaries that may be at play.

Authors

• Stephanie Garaglia, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Lucas Melgaço, Associate Professor -VUB

• Rosamunde Van Brakel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel