A Question of Context? Narratives of Digitalization, Participation and Livability in Strategy Papers of German Municipalities

Compared to larger cities and metropolises, smaller cities generally have fewer resources and capacities when it comes to digitalization and smart city initiatives. This may significantly limit their scope for action, but it can also lead to advantages in terms of shorter decision-making processes and a closer connection between the city and its citizens. Furthermore, the location of a city, for example in a metropolitan region or in a rural area, and its associated urban functions may constitute relevant prerequisites. The same goes for specific requirements from higher federal levels or even a specific assumed or perceived local identity. While the outputs and outcomes of smart city and digitalization initiatives are often measured, evaluated and compared in rankings, little attention has been paid to the question of whether and how the aforementioned prerequisites are manifested in strategic orientations and policies. This question is of particular interest for cities that cannot fall back on federal or centralized programs, as it is quite often the case in the German system of municipal autonomy (‘kommunale Selbstverwaltung’). A look at the specific framing of digitalization by cities that have developed independent strategies for policy design and/or implementation offers excellent starting points for an analysis and comparison of the priorities set, the formative conditions, the (democratic) involvement of citizens and overarching goals such as increasing livability. Using methods of content analysis and the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), I examine policy documents (digitalization–, smart city–, and e-government strategy papers) of cities and analyze the core narrative components that construct narratives of digitalization and which aspects of participation and livability they contain. What, if any, specific prerequisities and circumstances do they take into account? What roles, participation opportunities and benefits are offered to whom? What (livability) goals are to be achieved and by what means? By answering these questions for a sample of 10 smaller (population 20,000 - 100,000) and 5 large (population 100,000+) German cities, it can be shown to what extent cities construct different policy narratives on digitalization with particular reference to participation, livability and their individual prerequisites.