Socio-Spatial Practices: An Introduction and Overview

Therese Kenna,Gabriela Maksymiuk

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-13417-4_6

Abstract

AbstractWe are now firmly in a digital era and technologies are ever-present. Since the introduction of new digital technologies and ICTs, such as smart phones, the literature has presented some contrasting analyses of the socio-spatial practices and impacts that have resulted from the uptake of new technologies in urban public spaces. On one hand, there is a particular set of debates that have expressed concerns that the introduction of digital technologies, especially personal ICTs, is leading to a greater withdrawal from urban public spaces.

Highlights

Socio-Spatial PracticesWe are firmly in a digital era and technologies are ever-present
The leading questions for the working group were: What is known about the relationship between new media use and spatial practices? What do people want from public space?. Does this differ by socioeconomic status, gender, age? What technological developments are most likely to enhance current user behaviour or develop new user behaviours? Essentially, the improvement, through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), of the quality of urban life, the inclusion and social participation in the design of public open spaces (POS), and the development of tools for studying and supporting urban planning, were basic goals for the working group
The Chapters of the book fall into three broad categories. Are those concerned with the generation of novel empirical data on the emerging sociospatial practices resulting from the increased uptake of ICTs within urban public spaces

Summary

Introduction

We are firmly in a digital era and technologies are ever-present. Since the introduction of new digital technologies and ICTs, such as smart phones, the literature has presented some contrasting analyses of the socio-spatial practices and impacts that have resulted from the uptake of new technologies in urban public spaces. The Finnish study on the appropriation process of two public computing infrastructures in the City of Oulu, a municipal WiFi network and large interactive displays, showed that while the use of the WiFi network has grown steadily, the use of the displays has been declining (Ylipulli et al 2014) Positioned within these recent debates and the emerging literature, the Chapters in Part II offer some discussions and case study research into the ways new technologies, such as Twitter and participatory GIS, can offer urban planning and design professionals useful tools for understanding social behaviours, attitudes and diverse sociospatial practices, which will enable more inclusive design, planning and decision-making processes, as well as more inclusionary urban public spaces

Urban Ethnography

Overview of Chapters