Rowland Atkinson presents on Secure elite mobilities

In October 2025 Rowland presented at the Post-Smart City symposium, hosted by the University of Ottawa in Canada on his work on secure elite mobilities, introducing the conceptual framework of the 'cage without borders.'

The cage without border

The concept offers a novel way to understand the highly protected and often obscured movements of the super-affluent across global networks. It posits that the ultra-rich inhabit a self-enclosed system of security and exclusion that, while offering protection, effectively operates as a geographically dispersed 'cage'—a paradox of boundless movement facilitated by intensely controlled, secure, and exclusive environments.

The symposium, introduced by Professor David Murakami-Wood, brought together global experts to challenge conventional thinking about urban futures, security, and the increasingly segregated nature of modern cities.

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