The role of social representation in producing public spaces: Amman as a case study

Abstract

According to Henri Lefebvre's theory, socially produced space results from the interaction between social representation and physical space. This socio-spatial interaction creates a new space that can shape the behavior of its users. Despite growing interest in socio-spatial dynamics, little research has explored how urban protests shape and are shaped by space, especially in cities such as Amman, with diverse social dynamics. Understanding this phenomenon is essential for addressing urban challenges such as spatial inequality and public participation.

This paper analyzes the interaction between urban space and social action during Amman's major protest activities to study the concept of space production in Amman, Jordan. Due to its fast urbanization and sociopolitical tensions with neighboring countries, Amman provides an ideal setting for researching the relationship between space and protests.

The study uses case studies of two main urban spaces: the Downtown area and the 4th Circle area. The paper employed qualitative and quantitative research methods. First, a coding method using MAXQDA was used to identify the different themes and patterns of behavior in space during protests. Second, Space Syntax was employed to calculate the connectivity and integration of the spaces identified in the previous stage. This study traces the three main moments in Henri Lefebvre's conceived, perceived, and lived spaces triad. The results suggest that social representations are inseparable from the features of the society in which they develop.