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In this book, the author develops a relational concept of space that encompasses social structure, the material world of objects and bodies, and the symbolic dimension of the social world. Löw's guiding principle is the assumption that space emerges in the interplay between objects, structures and actions. Based on a critical discussion of classic theories of space, Löw develops a new dynamic theory of space that accounts for the relational context in which space is constituted. This innovative view on the interdependency of material, social, and symbolic dimensions of space also permits a new perspective on architecture and urban development.
List of contents
1. Why Should Sociology Deal with Space?.- 2. Conceptions of Space in Context.- 3. Transformations of Phenomena of Space.-4. On the Way to a Sociological Concept of Space.- 5. Constitution of Space.- 6. Exemplary Analyses.- 7. Basic Concepts of a Sociology of Space.- Conclusions.
About the author
Martina Löw is Professor of Sociology at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. Her areas of specialization and research are sociological theory, urban sociology, space theory, and cultural sociology. From 2011 until 2013 she was president of the German Sociological Association, and as a member of numerous advisory boards, she is currently involved in several urban development projects.
Summary
In this book, the author develops a relational concept of space that encompasses social structure, the material world of objects and bodies, and the symbolic dimension of the social world. Löw’s guiding principle is the assumption that space emerges in the interplay between objects, structures and actions. Based on a critical discussion of classic theories of space, Löw develops a new dynamic theory of space that accounts for the relational context in which space is constituted. This innovative view on the interdependency of material, social, and symbolic dimensions of space also permits a new perspective on architecture and urban development.
Additional text
“Going well beyond Löw’s English-language articles (e.g. in this journal in 2013), the book makes her sophisticated and original theory of space available in its entirety to a far wider international audience. … a highly original and insightful book that should be obligatory reading for anyone working on space and place, and highly recommended for all urban scholars at graduate student level and above.” (International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Vol. 41 (6), November, 2017)
“This is the first major work on theorization of space and place since the turn of the century, making for a compelling read on the subject. … Summing Up: Essential. Graduate collections in sociology, urban planning, and geography.” (T. Niazi, Choice, Vol. 54 (10), June, 2017)
Report
"Going well beyond Löw's English-language articles (e.g. in this journal in 2013), the book makes her sophisticated and original theory of space available in its entirety to a far wider international audience. ... a highly original and insightful book that should be obligatory reading for anyone working on space and place, and highly recommended for all urban scholars at graduate student level and above." (International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Vol. 41 (6), November, 2017)
"This is the first major work on theorization of space and place since the turn of the century, making for a compelling read on the subject. ... Summing Up: Essential. Graduate collections in sociology, urban planning, and geography." (T. Niazi, Choice, Vol. 54 (10), June, 2017)
