Abstract
Neoliberal urban restructuring constitutes an underlying challenge facing cities and communities around the world. Public space, as a medium of political engagement and social interactions, may represent a vehicle for resistance against patterns of shrinking democracy. In its capacity as a place for active democracy, public spaces – the lived spaces of contemporary societies – deserve greater care, attention, and critical reflection. As movements evolve to confront new challenges, explore new opportunities, negotiate with new actors and circumstances, and utilise new technologies and platforms, our understanding of the agency of democracy – supported through an understanding of civic dignity – must also advance. This paper aims at examining the role of public space in reclaiming and reinstating democracy. By drawing on empirical findings from cities worldwide, explored through the lens of multiple disciplines, it argues that the study of urban protest might show directions for a new, dignified politics of public space. It asks how this study may enable planners and designers to contribute to the spatial emergence of human and civic dignity.
Highlights
Neoliberal urban restructuring constitutes an underlying challenge facing cities and communities around the world
By drawing on empirical findings from cities worldwide, explored through the lens of multiple disciplines, it argues that the study of urban protest might show directions for a new, dignified politics of public space
As outlined in the previous sections, our research on diverse empirical cases in various cities and continents illustrates the crucial role of public space in reclaiming and reinstating democracy
Summary
The shrinking capacity of democratic processes has left citizens and communities with no other resort than to take to the streets. Following Ober (2014), civic dignity is defined as ‘a set of historic practices that were regularized as custom and law at certain times and places in history’ (p.55) It is predicated on a shared status of political equality among a body of citizens – a defined set of people who are jointly committed to the preservation of a public domain (Greek: politeia; Latin: res publica), but who are not social peers and who may have no personal ties with one another (ibid.). Stressing the role of public space in contexts of planning, development, and urban design in these unsettled times clearly touches upon Margalit’s (1996) question – if planning for dignity is about avoiding humiliation and establishing a more decent society In this vein, this paper analyses and challenges the relations and interconnections between civic dignity, urban resistance, and public space in the context of current developments of de-democratisation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Transactions of the Association of European Schools of Planning
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
