- Topics
- Governance capacity
- New forms of decision-making, Policies and instruments
- Abstract
- The study underlines the relational and labile dimension of spaces composed of objects and individuals that move beyond the systems of geographical, institutional, political, economic and social coordinates that aim to stabilize spaces by establishing boundaries. Space is the result of a twofold process of "spacing" and "synthesis": synthesis consists in the perception of an ensemble of social and material goods as "space/place", while spacing denotes the act of placing goods and people including oneself. The theory says that social space is produced by the human beings interacting with each other. Space does not exist "a priori" but is continuously reproduced. The current state of space is a temporary product of the order of matter on the basis of action. Social space is built upon the relations of human beings, institutions and objects. Human beings interact. Our environment is defined by the interaction of different living and non-living structures. The study develops a new sociological approach of how to define space, terms like “rural” and “urban”, “local” or “non-local”. Thus the theory goes far beyond traditional concepts which are based on mere economic, demographic or geographical indicators. The study opens a new understanding for applied regional planning and rural development.
- Journal / Publisher / Institution
- Suhrkamp Taschenbuch Wissenschaft, Frankfurt am Main
- Issue / Volume / Number
- 180p.
- Reference to the original publication
- hardcopy