I wrote a low-carbon science fiction short story around the concept of ‘Liveable Data’–those who know John Urry’s work will hear the conversation with his concept of ‘Liveable City’. The chapter was in a festschrift book in his honour.
The chapter draws on my experiences working with John Urry at Lancaster University, and on his book ‘What is the Future?’–quotes from which form the basis of my conversation with him in the story. Of course, it also draws on my ethnographic research in Orkney, where I have been collaborating with the islanders on their energy and data futures.
The chapter is published in ‘Mobilities and Complexities‘ published by Routledge (Taylor Francis).
“Sunlight flickered light and dark, alternating, as the room moved through or even sideways through time, threading some cosmic string until it came to rest in another, parallel world. Here, John Urry leaned back in one of the chairs, listening, as I spoke to him as Cassandra.” Using only a series of quotes from John Urry’s, What is the future?, this story proposes thinking through the implications for a world with Liveable Data.