PUBLIC SPACE AND THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE MODERN CITY

Public space is often seen as problem space in the modem city: it is n ow as it has always been a space of contention. It is the visible and accessible venue wherein the public - comprising institutions and citi zens acting in concert - enact rituals and make claims designed to win recognition. This article discusses two theses which regard the publi c realm in the modem city from very different perspectives. It then se eks to understand the strikingly contrary conclusions about the public sphere by exploring several of the issues which proponents of the two viewpoints interpret differently.