The public realm

I’ve been researching what the use of prohibitive semiotics tells us about what we regard as public spaces; and have been particularly interested in these writers when it comes to discussing what is meant when we say public space.

Lefevre agues that each historical period produces the kind of public space, and therefore public life, which reflects the political realities of the time.

So what does that say about Britain right now when Minton describes how what we consider to be the public realm is no longer public at all, with cities now run by a mix of private companies and individual landlords.

This has parallels with the issues brought to light by the Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal, with developers and landowners the physical platforms whose sole purpose is to increase consumer footfall.