Wiley-Blackwell Publics and the City (RGS-IBG Book Series)

Publics and the City investigates struggles over the making of urban publics, considering how the production, management and regulation of ‘public spaces’ has emerged as a problem for both urban politics and urban theory. Advances a new framework for considering the diverse spatialities of publicness in relation to the city Argues that a city’s contribution to the making of publics goes beyond the provision of places for public gathering Examines a series of detailed case studies Looks at the relationship between urbanism, public spheres, and democracy Review "Rich and varied case studies make the material accessible ... .An original, engaging, and interesting contribution to debates about the uses, meanings, and urban dimensions of public address and public space." (American Journal of Sociobiology, February 2010) "An important book ... .Compelling." (Progress in Human Geography, February 2010)“Iveson clearly demonstrates why issues of publicness should be of concern to all geographers, and he suggests that there is too much at stake to accept existing normative assumptions about the decline of the public sphere.” (Cultural Geographies, October 2008) Review "A fascinating and well argued book which convincingly explores the relationship between the public sphere – or publicness – and the city. It is an engaging and fruitful conversation between urban studies and critical social theories of the public sphere, which draws on a series of illuminating case studies." Allan Cochrane, Open University "Urban public spaces are arenas of political action but also of both public and private efforts to manage popular behaviour. This series of engaging Australian case studies and insightful analyses helps clarify both sets of issues. It should be of interest to everyone who cares about urban life, popular politics, and the intersection of place and identity." Craig Calhoun, NYU From the Inside Flap Contests over ‘public space’ have come to assume increasing centrality in deliberations over urban policy in post-industrial nations such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In this innovative book, Kurt Iveson addresses the relationship between publicness and the city, considering how the production, management and regulation of ‘public spaces’ has emerged as a problem for urban politics and urban theory. Drawing on original, empirical research, the author presents a series of detailed case studies that explore the struggle for space in different forms of publicness, from political protesters seeking to use the grounds around Parliament House in Canberra, to young people hanging out on the streets of inner city Perth, to writing graffiti in Sydney. Publics and the City is a timely and critical examination of the relationship between urbanism, publicness and democracy. From the Back Cover Contests over ‘public space’ have come to assume increasing centrality in deliberations over urban policy in post-industrial nations such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In this innovative book, Kurt Iveson addresses the relationship between publicness and the city, considering how the production, management and regulation of ‘public spaces’ has emerged as a problem for urban politics and urban theory. Drawing on original, empirical research, the author presents a series of detailed case studies that explore the struggle for space in different forms of publicness, from political protesters seeking to use the grounds around Parliament House in Canberra, to young people hanging out on the streets of inner city Perth, to writing graffiti in Sydney. Publics and the City is a timely and critical examination of the relationship between urbanism, publicness and democracy. About the Author Kurt Iveson is Lecturer in Urban Geography at the University of Sydney, Australia.