Setha Low & Neil Smith 
The Politics of Public Space [PDF ebook] 

Why is public space disappearing? Why is this disappearance important to democratic politics and how has it become an international phenomenon? Public spaces are no longer democratic spaces, but instead centres of private commerce and consumption, and even surveillance and police control. ‘The Politics of Public Space’ extends the focus of current work on public space to include a consideration of the transnational – in the sense of moving people and transformations in the nation or state – to expand our definition of the ”public” and public space. Ultimately, public spaces are one of the last democratic forums for public dissent in a civil society. Without these significant central public spaces, individuals cannot directly participate in conflict resolution. ‘The Politics of Public Space’ assembles a superb list of contributors to explore the important political dimensions of public space as a place where conflicts over cultural and political objectives become concrete.