Representations and power relations
Public space is a place of collective living, where people who have not decided to live together mingle. It is a backdrop for balances of power, fed by representations that also fuel the dynamics for regulating public action. These balances of power lead to inequalities in the access to and use of space between people, with some ways of life considered less legitimate in view of the dominant social and cultural norms that set the tone. Who sets the standard? How can representations and assigned roles be deconstructed? How can diversity be encouraged over uniformity in ways of life? Public space is a political space in which each person’s life references can be expressed and debated, so that everyone can take their place, while respecting others.