EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Public spaces in the city as frame and stage for political action

Public spaces in the city as frame and stage for political action

Introduction

Cities have become more and more attractive for economic purposes. As a result, public spaces increasingly tend to be developed into spaces for consumption in order for cities to remain competitive. However, history shows us that public spaces also used to play an important role in the political participation of citizens.
In her paper 'Political action in urban space: public spaces in the city as frame and stage for political action', Dr. Sandra Huning, uses the example of the 2001 G8 demonstrations in Genoa to show how urban planning and governance can contribute to the design of more open and democratic public spaces which can promote the political participation of citizens.

Description

Cities play an important economic role. Leisure and consumption have become important tools for the improvement of urban competiveness. As a result, public spaces are now often used for commercial purposes, excluding those who do not fit the clean and safe image of the commercial space. However, in the past, starting with the Greek agora and stretching to the labour movements of the early 20th century, urban public spaces also played a strong political role.
Sandra Huning claims that urban planning is an ideal medium for public participation. She states that democratisation can be stimulated by providing open public spaces for democratic experience. Moreover, if the democratic legitimacy of urban planning measures is strengthened, they are also more likely to be accepted by the wider public. Everyday urban governance should keep these ideas in mind while planning urban spaces for the future.

Background information

The paper is based on Sandra Huning's PhD thesis called 'Politisches Handeln in öffentlichen Räumen', published in 2006 by 'Leue Verlag' in Berlin.

This paper was presented during the EURA 2007 'The Vital City' conference in Glasgow, that took place 12-14 September 2007.

Conclusions

Today many experts fear that privately financed projects of inner-city refurbishment and renewal tend to exclude certain groups of city users and certain urban functions.
Although it seems to be especially commercial uses which manage to assemble and interest people, it may also be possible to build or strengthen the political dimension of public spaces by addressing citizens to engage in settings for deliberation and exchange.
Planners should be more sensitive towards the political usability of urban public spaces as the more public space is privatised and regulated according to the principles of consumption, tidiness and safety, the less it can be considered as a free space for free citizens to articulate their political protest without having to fear legal consequences.

Contact info

Center for Metropolitan Studies - Technical University Berlin
Sandra Huning

Publication date

/09/2007

Researcher

Dr. Sandra Huning

Links

Visit the 'Vital City' conference website Visit the 'Center for Metropolitan Studies' website

Click here to read the complete paper 'political action in urban space' by Sandra Huning, Word, Eng, 83 KB

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy

Keywords

Urban environment

Institutional characteristics
Academic/Research