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Theorizing Critical Placemaking as a Tool for Reclaiming Public Space
1University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
American Journal of Community Psychology
|February 14, 2017
Summary
Critical placemaking can disrupt social injustice by reclaiming public spaces. This approach uses environmental, narrative, and community psychology to foster inclusive communities and challenge inequality.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
Background:
- Growing economic inequality and segregation in the U.S. necessitate psychological interventions.
- Privatization of public space exacerbates social, economic, and racial disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce "critical placemaking" as a strategy to counteract the negative effects of public space privatization.
- To explore how critical placemaking can transform community narratives and promote social justice.
Main Methods:
- Drawing on theories from environmental psychology, narrative psychology, and community psychology.
- Developing a theoretical framework for understanding the role of placemaking in community transformation.
Main Results:
- Critical placemaking offers a method for reclaiming public spaces for community use.
- The framework theorizes how placemaking can shift community narratives towards inclusivity.
Conclusions:
- Critical placemaking can be a powerful tool for building more democratic and equitable communities.
- Further empirical research is needed to validate the proposed framework and its policy implications.
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