Main entry:

Parkinson, John, 1966-

Title & Author:

Democracy and public space : the physical sites of democratic performance / John R. Parkinson.

Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2012.

Description:

xii, 246 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
pt. I. The theory of democratic public space. Democratic theory, democratic performance -- Theorizing public space -- Place and politics -- pt. II. Public space and democratic performance. Assemblies I : performing democratic roles -- Assemblies II : the public and accessibility -- Protest and the plaza : engaging the formal public sphere -- The city as representative space -- pt. III. Evaluating democratic space. Conclusions and implications.
Dust jacket.

Summary:

"In an online, interconnected world, democracy is increasingly made up of wikis and blogs, pokes and tweets. Citizens have become accidental journalists thanks to their handheld devices, politicians are increasingly working online, and the traditional sites of democracy--assemblies, public galleries, and plazas--are becoming less and less relevant with every new technology. And yet, Democracy and Public Space argues, such views are leading us to confuse the medium with the message, focusing on electronic transmission when often what cyber citizens transmit is pictures and narratives of real democratic action in physical space. Democratic citizens are embodied, take up space, battle over access to physical resources, and perform democracy on physical stages at least as much as they engage with ideas in virtual space. Combining conceptual analysis with interviews and observation in capital cities on every continent, John Parkinson argues that democracy requires physical public space, that some kinds of space are better for performing some democratic roles than others, and that some of the most valuable kinds of space are under attack in developed democracies. He argues that accidental publics like shoppers and lunchtime crowds are increasingly valued over purposive, active publics, over citizens with a point to make or an argument to listen to. This can be seen not just in the way that traditional protest is regulated, but in the ways that ordinary city streets and parks are managed, even in the design of such quintessentially democratic spaces as legislative assemblies. Democracy and Public Space offers an alternative vision for democratic public space, and evaluates 11 cities--from London to Tokyo-against that ideal."--Publisher's website.

Resources:
Table of contents
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
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ISBN:

0199214565
9780199214563
9780199676941
0199676941
9780191619304 (ebk)
0191619302
9786613426741
6613426741

Subject:

Communication Political aspects.
Democracy and architecture.
Democracy.
Public spaces Political aspects.
Information society Political aspects.
Communication Aspect politique.
Démocratie et architecture.
Espaces publics Aspect politique.
Société informatisée Aspect politique.
Politics and Government.
Demokratie
Politische Kommunikation
Öffentlicher Raum

Holdings:

Location: Library main 277924
Call No.: BIB 213051
Status: Available