Nightlife as counterspace: Potentials of nightlife for social wellbeing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nightlife is used to escape everyday life, meet others, and have fun. Empirical studies of nightlife nevertheless have been predominantly concerned with the night-time economy, the regulation of nightlife, and injustices towards participating in nightlife. The presented research complements this field of work by focusing on the potential of nightlife for social wellbeing. In a mixed-method approach, we questioned 485 students in the city of Freiburg, Germany, about their perceptions and usages of nightlife highlighting its distinctive qualities as a counterspace to the day. Specifically, we explored (I) their perception of a nightlife atmosphere, (II) their perception of distinct rules and norms in nightlife, (III) the role of different spaces in nightlife, (IV) the varying individual usages of nightlife. We found that nightlife constitutes a social time and space for meeting others with an important role in social wellbeing.