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 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.