Mapping Urban Injustices in Public Space: Challenges and Opportunities (original) (raw)

2023, ˜The œJournal of public space

Cities, as human constructs, are undergoing rapid transformations influenced by economic globalization, mobility, and European integration. This dynamic evolution brings about substantial changes in European urban landscapes, marked by the intense flow of people and cultures. This social and cultural diversity challenges established notions of identity and social relationships (Phillips, 2007) directly affecting public spaces. The need to understand the evolving role of these spaces as shared resources and as a common good to exercise democratic rights, cultural demands and social needs in a diverse urban environment is highlighted. Public spaces, seen as essential components of urban experience, do play a pivotal role in accommodating the diverse social life of various groups (Madanipour, 2003). The complexity of interactions within public spaces becomes apparent when observing the ways different user groups relate to the urban environment and to each other. Spatial dynamics further complicate the issue, as highlighted by Noussia and Lyons (2009). Coexistence in public spaces may give rise to spatial boundaries, acting as locales where diverse people, activities, and ideas come into contact, maintaining a distinctive contrast. However, this contrast can lead to the exclusion of certain groups, resulting in the colonization of urban space by dominant groups and contributing to a sense of fragmentation. Artificially constructed boundaries in cities, as noted by Hillier, can shape people's experiences of space, potentially reflecting social inequalities in the spaces they occupy (Hillier, 2005). Legeby further emphasizes that inequalities in the use of public space can influence movement flows, co-presence, and the nature of activities, directly contributing to spatial exclusion (Legeby, 2009). The continuous and fast-paced transformation of cities has not only reshaped the physical landscape but has also sparked intricate social conflicts, sets of cultural values and beliefs and political contentions among the diverse urban groups that often assert competing claims over the decisions and processes that influence urban transformations, raising fundamental questions about the fairness and justice of these processes. A prominent concern revolves around the prioritization of affluent urban THE JOURNAL OF PUBLIC SPACE