“Often people don't understand the complex world” How Local Governments Respond to Political Contestation about the Smart City

Governments introducing smart city technologies increasingly encounter political contestation. The deliberative perspective aims to overcome contestation by seeking consensus through deliberation. agonistic critiques this perspective, arguing that emphasizing consensus-building in response can lead a ‘post-political’ debate excluding certain citizens and opinions. This paper presents an empirical assessment of critique analyzing governments responses about the its potentially depoliticizing implications. Therefore, seventeen vignette interviews were conducted with civil servants working at major local Netherlands. results reveal three debate: (1) aim include everyone, but only if act behave way they perceive as rational reasonable; (2) welcome variety viewpoints, these views do not contradict what see natural order common sense; (3) allow for contestation, it is perceived being provided right time context. Two tentative explanations are presented: silent ideology within government, lack practical methods organize channels engagement.