Digital Hermeneutics and Engagement

This chapter introduces the Digital Hermeneutics and Engagement (DHE) Framework, integrating hermeneutic philosophy, gamification, and participatory urbanism to reimagine citizen engagement beyond technocratic smart-city models. Instead of treating residents as data sources, DHE positions them as interpreters transforming lived experience into actionable knowledge for adaptive governance. Grounded in Ricoeur's hermeneutics and game studies, it frames play as serious epistemic practice. A case study in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, illustrates how gamified interpretation fosters inclusive resilience, co-creation, and democratic knowledge production within contemporary urban sustainability discourse.