Smart Cities and Security in the Framework of Urban Geopolitics: The Case of NEOM-The Line

Abstract

In this study, within the framework of the concept of urban geopolitics in which smart city applications are used as a tool, the smart city components of The Line city, which is within the scope of the NEOM project, which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has put forward within the scope of Vision 2030 and aims to brand, and the features it has for the security of the city are examined. The aim of the study is to identify the technology-based smart city components of The Line Smart City Project within the scope of the NEOM project and to understand whether the project will create a global competition by analysing it within the framework of security. The study seeks to answer the question of whether the features of The Line city are sufficient within the scope of smart city components and whether the security of these components is addressed. The existence of the project in question increases the importance of the study as it can provide a new security perspective for smart cities within the framework of the concept of urban geopolitics. Within the scope of the study, document analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods, has been used, and sources such as books, articles, reports, internet, etc. in the field have been examined. In the study, The Line Smart City, which is included in the NEOM project, has most of the existing smart city components, but the fact that the project is currently under construction creates question marks. The geopolitical location of the project is extremely important in terms of creating a global competition and has the potential to open doors to many business worlds. In addition, it is extremely important to carry out studies to ensure not only cyber security but also physical security of the city.