Transforming Public Spaces—What Can We Learn from the Ontological Positioning of the ‘Site of the Social’?

Abstract

How is space itself transformed by communication design? Informed by Schatzki's (2002) ontology The Site of the Social: A Philosophical Account of the Constitution of Social Life and Change, the processes through which communication design might impact and transform public spaces are considered. Propositional in nature, this paper seeks to elicit a dialogue around the nature of such processes, harnessing insight into the transformative power of communication design. Reviewing examples drawn from Schatzki's account, it is suggested that defining public spaces as 'social sites' and focusing upon the interweaving of orders and practices that exist therein, to be key to this discourse. Two empirical case studies are used to illustrate these propositions in action: the design of interactive counter terror communications, and designing with the intent of influencing behaviour in virtual spaces. Taken together, this paper considers the site of the social to be an important point of leverage for understanding the processes through which communication design can enact public spaces. This paper concludes by drawing a number of propositions relevant to future work. (Author abstract)