Getting around in the city: The use of the geolocation based application in finding the way

Višković, Ana (author), Podjed, Dan (mentor)

This master thesis deals with the use of the geolocation application qando in everyday life in an urban environment, precisely in Vienna, Austria, where the public transportation services are well organized, and discusses the impact such geolocation applications have on perceiving the environment. For the purpose of this research, the participants in the study were newcomers or students on an exchange programme. The thesis explores the anthropological views on how space and place are made. Meanwhile, extended agency and Actor-Network Theory cover the use of technology in the relation between human and non-human objects in creating a social action. The empirical part shows that the use of the geolocation application qando indeed changed participants’ understanding and perception of the city. It is also evident that the users of smartphones combine two geolocation applications when moving around the city. When there is an established routine the use of these applications disappears. The use and perception of affordances of the application is subjective and also depends on the design and signifiers. This master thesis explores traditional ethnographic research methods in contemporary technological society to identify obstacles in studying the relationship between humans and technology.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Geolokacijska aplikacija, gibanje, ustvarjanje prostora in kraja, podaljšana tvornost, teorija akter-omrežja
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2019
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-108487
• Publication date in RUL: 04.07.2019

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Po mestu naokrog : Uporaba geolokacijske aplikacije qando pri odkrivanju mesta

Abstract

Magistrsko delo predstavi raziskavo uporabe geolokacijske aplikacije qando v vsakdanjem življenju in urbanem okolju, natančneje na Dunaju v Avstriji, in oriše njene vplive na percepcijo okolja. Udeleženci raziskave so bili novi priseljenci in študenti na študijski izmenjavi. Raziskava izpostavi antropološke poglede na ustvarjanje prostora in kraja, pri čemer se avtorica opre na razlage o podaljšani tvornosti in teorijo akter-omrežja (angl. Actor-Network Theory), s čimer skuša razložiti povezavo med človekom in nečloveškim akterjem, ki skupaj tvorita družbeno akcijo. Empirični del naloge pokaže, da uporaba geolokacijskih aplikacij vpliva na zaznavanje in dojemanje okolja. Poleg tega uporabniki izmenoma in dopolnjujoče uporabljajo dve aplikaciji za gibanje po mestu. Ko je ustvarjena rutina, se uporaba aplikacije izniči. Uporaba in razumevanje aplikacije in vseh njenih »ponudkov« (angl. affordances) sta subjektivna in odvisna od oblikovanja aplikacije ter oznak v njej. Z uporabo tipičnih etnografskih raziskovalnih metod v raziskovanju sodobne tehnološke družbe skuša magistrsko delo določiti še ovire pri proučevanju razmerij med človekom in tehnologijo.

• Keywords: Geolocation application, movement, making of space and place, extended agency, Actor-Network Theory