Distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) such as blockchain have in recent years been presented as a new general-purpose technology that could underlie many aspects of social and economic life, including civics and urban governance. In an urban context, over the past few years, a number of actors have started to explore the application of distributed ledgers in amongst others smart city services as well as in blockchain for good and urban commons-projects. DLTs could become the administrative backbones of such projects, as the technology can be set-up as an administration, management and allocation tool for urban resources. With the addition of smart contracts, DLTs can further automate the processing of data and execution of decisions in urban resource management through algorithmic governance. This means that the technological set-up and design of such DLT based systems could have large implications for the ways urban resources are governed. Positive contributions are expected to be made toward (local) democracy, transparent governance, decentralization, and citizen empowerment. We argue that to fully scrutinize the implications for urban governance, a critical analysis of distributed ledger technologies is necessary. In this contribution, we explore the lens of “the city as a license” for such a critical analysis. Through this lens, the city is framed as a “rights-management-system,” operated through DLT technology. Building upon Lefebvrian a right to the city-discourses, such an approach allows to ask important questions about the implications of DLTs for the democratic governance of cities in an open, inclusive urban culture. Through a technological exploration combined with a speculative approach, and guided by our interest in the rights management and agency that blockchains have been claimed to provide to their users, we trace six important issues: quantification; blockchain as a normative apparatus; the complicated relationship between transparency and accountability; the centralizing forces that act on blockchains; the degrees to which algorithmic rules can embed democratic law-making and enforcing; and finally, the limits of blockchain's trustlessness.
MULTIFILE
Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system. https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf outlined an alternative to the current monetary system in which banks are replaced by a peer-to-peer system to issue and transfer digital money: the Bitcoin. While Bitcoin has attracted a substantial investment volume, the system has not achieved the status of a viable alternative monetary system. However, the distributed ledger technology (DLT) underlying the payment system is being applied successfully by financial institutions and is likely to have important implications for the future of money and banking. In this paper we therefore focus on the most advanced distributed ledger application in the financial industry: R3 Corda. This paper is structured as follows. In the first section, we relate the debate about systems of money creation to the rise of Bitcoin. Next, the development of R3 Corda is discussed and the lessons learned for monetary reform. We conclude with an assessment of the scope and likelihood of monetary reform as a consequence of DLT applications by central banks.
DOCUMENT
Volgt na de smart city nu de blockchain-stad? Nieuwe technologieën als distributed ledgers (decentraal beheerde databases) luiden mogelijk een nieuwe fase in voor de manier waarop digitale media en big data worden ingezet om publieke ruimtes en stedelijke infrastructuren te beheren, gebruiken en vorm te geven. The City as a License is een perspectief, dat die ontwikkeling belicht vanuit het vertrekpunt van de stad als een moderne, open gemeenschap met democratische en inclusieve publieke ruimtes.
LINK
This chapter will provide information on what Blockchain is and why it is used. It describes the basic concepts underlying Blockchain technology, such as distributed ledgers, consensus mechanisms, mining, smart contracts, P2P, and the classification of existing Blockchain systems. Next, it explores Blockchain applications in general, in businesses and society. Blockchain maybe used e.g., for fundraising, in education, and for provenance and authenticity registration. The last part of the chapter is devoted to application of Blockchain in general to applications in the hospitality and tourism industry. It considers how Blockchain makes it possible to create new types of platforms where transactions take place and the delivery of 'digital assets ', such as a hotel room booking, is not dependent on an intermediary. Other topics covered are tokenization, and the use of Blockchain in tracking baggage, loyalty programs, rating and reviews, payments, and digital identity.DOIhttps://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781732127593
MULTIFILE
This chapter will provide information on what Blockchain is and why it is used. It describes the basic concepts underlying Blockchain technology, such as distributed ledgers, consensus mechanisms, mining, smart contracts, P2P, and the classification of existing Blockchain systems. Next, it explores Blockchain applications in general, in businesses and society. Blockchain maybe used e.g., for fundraising, in education, and for provenance and authenticity registration. The last part of the chapter is devoted to application of Blockchain in general to applications in the hospitality and tourism industry. It considers how Blockchain makes it possible to create new types of platforms where transactions take place and the delivery of 'digital assets ', such as a hotel room booking, is not dependent on an intermediary. Other topics covered are tokenization, and the use of Blockchain in tracking baggage, loyalty programs, rating and reviews, payments, and digital identity.Barkel, C., Kurgun, H., & Groen, B. (2021). Blockchain in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry. In C. Cobanoglu, S. Dogan, K. Berezina, & G. Collins (Eds.), Hospitality & Tourism Information Technology (pp. 1–26). USF M3 Publishing. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781732127593
MULTIFILE
The current standard in accounting practice is the double-entry approach. Basis of the double-entry approach is that every financial event brings two equal and offsetting entries. Since these financial events are not automatically confirmed by both parties, the accounting quality can be improved. The blockchain mechanism possibly offers a different take on accounting. Based on an experimentation approach, data was collected to compare the double-entry method with the blockchain-based triple-entry method. The results show that the main difference concerns determining the completeness of the financial statement items. In the situation of double-entry accounting, segregation of duties is applied to do so. In the blockchain situation, the underlying mechanism of the blockchain already ensures this.
DOCUMENT
This paper addresses the design dilemmas that arise when distributed ledger technologies (DLT) are to be applied in the governance of artificial material commons. DLTs, such as blockchain, are often presented as enabling technologies for self-governing communities, provided by their consensus mechanisms, transparent administration, and incentives for collaboration and cooperation. Yet, these affordances may also undermine public values such as privacy and displace human agency in governance procedures. In this paper, the conflicts regarding the governance of communities which collectively manage and produce a commons are discussed through the case of a fictional energy community. Three mechanisms are identified in this process: tracking use of and contributions to the commons; managing resources, and negotiating the underlying rule sets and user rights. Our effort is aimed at contributing to the HCI community by introducing a framework of three mechanisms and six design dilemmas that can aid in balancing conflicting values in the design of local platforms for commons-based resource management.
DOCUMENT
From the article: "This article evaluates the application of blockchain technology to improve organic or fair-trade food traceability from “Farm to Fork” in light of European regulations. This study aims to shed light on the challenges in the organic food chain to overcome, the drivers for blockchain technology, and the challenges in current projects."
DOCUMENT
