The Sociality Of Space: A Sociological Investigation Of City Square

From the sociology angle, this thesis explores not only the evolution process, forms and function differences of city squares both of Western and Eastern, but also the more fundamental differences between the social structure and social relationships underlying these differences by using theory of space. It is the specific social structure and social relationship that determines the space, peopleËŠs action strategy and culture features, namely, social attribute is the essence of space. Taken Cultural Square of Changchun as an example, this paper analyzes the social mechanisms by which square can be created during different stages in the process of 100-yearËŠs development . As for the practical significance of the paper, the particular social and cultural backgrounds of the distinct epoches should be considered in the construction of city. Therefore, the socical space, which used and enjoyed by public, could be produced. This thesis starts along two directions .On one hand; the differences of city squares between eastern and western are compared by considering the uniqueness of their histories, culture and societies. On the other hand, a cross-section of the inspection is employed by taking the representative Cultural Square of Changchun in order to analyze the social and cultural implications and explore its social existence and the operating mode.Space is society. Square, as the typical urban living space, is no exception. City squares, both in the West and in China have a long history, just as Lewis Munford once said, when there is city, there is square. However, as for the city square that we are familiar with but not being paid enough attention to in our daily lives, it is not easy to illustrate completely. As far as the author believes, the understanding of the nature of space must be started from the social, and the keys should be found from social structure, social relations, cultural and human dimensions. Space theories of Sociology are diverse and colorful; they answer the questions of the social space from these facts, such as power, the capitalism system, symbolic economy, consumerism culture, globalization, psychological sense of belonging and identification. However, it is difficult to reach a comprehensive understanding of space by separating one side of space characteristic from the entity solely. Any space manifests itself by unified facts; only from the unity of space and society, the whole understanding can be achieved. City square, as a typical of urban space, is the condensed with social factors from the day of its birth, no matter the squares of Ancient Greece or in the matriarchal Jiang Site. In the course of development, with the changes in social structures and social relations, the social meaning of the space also changes correspondingly. We can see undifferentiated social characteristics of the ancient Greek Square. When Sovereign square image of authority in ancient Rome was embodied into square, medieval religious right plays the decisive role. And now the modern society square can be regarded as a social life square image. The undifferentiated square, as public affairs and public relations can been done in, can be seen as early as Matriarchal period in China. And various types of square space were compelled under the monarchical supremacy, ancestor worship, religious and commercial exchange.More than 100 years of evolution of Cultural Square of Changchun shows its plentiful content. Transformed from a private orchard into "KeNong Villa", it showed its publicity firstly. During the period of Manchukuo NURGACI, Puyi expected to resume the spatial pattern of the Imperial Palace to reappear the imperial dream that already extincted. In the large-scaled social movement after the founding of new government, geological Palace Square has became part of the power structure, in which various power strategies performed in the specific activities. The square ,as the urban culture and public space ,did not aroused the enthusiasm of people, but disappeared from peopleËŠs memory because of being overemphasizing on economic development in the past 20 years since the beginning of reform and opening up. While the barren city square just symbolized the barren of spirit of the city humanities and social public life. In the mid 1990s, with the major adjustment in the concept of urban development, square construction began receiving attention. From then on, the great value in public life and social activities can be seen from the vivid activities of square. Meanwhile, City square became the metaphor of city living, the visiting card of city, imagery of city spirit life, symbolic economic and character expanding, personal displaying arena. Produced continuously by the space force promoted by the different entities operating, this multi-level space showed the versatile landscape.This thesis focuses on the social character of space by arranging sociology theories of space and putting it into the analysis of city square space. Hope it would be a beneficial attempt. Space is society; its production has its own socical rules and standards. Public living space of city is not simply a piece of open space, several sculptures, and some greenbelts. Facing the current of building cities Square in numerous cities, I hope this study could provide valuable perspective.