Public Space Democracy

The public space is not an empty neutral place, nor it is devoid of power relations. It is deeply imbued with regulation of social space, layers of memory, offering a scene for present day politics, but also an historical archive with different temporalities, inhabitants, monuments and events. Can physical space contribute to creating commonalities and linkage points between different publics? Or does the space, as a marker of identity and power politics become an obstacle for cultural sharing and society making? The claims over meaning and ownership of public space opening up a battlefield over its competing interpretations and contested memories will be discussed as part of global democratic agendas