Centrum miasta czy mall? Kilka refleksji socjologów na marginesie badań przestrzeni publicznych miast śląskich
City centre or a shopping mall? The sociologists’ few reflections on the margin of Silecian cities’ public spaces studying

Summary/Abstract: The article shows the problem of relations between city centre and malls in the context of sociological theory of public space. The notion of public space is rich in meaning and is used in wide range of contexts. This text shows only some of these: connections between public space and public sphere, criteria of access to it, physical security, diffusion between public and private space and the differences between public space and public realm. Such understanding of public space allows to compare the social meanings and functions between the traditional public space — city centre and malls — private space from the legal point of view but public realm in the social context. Empirical references based on sociological researches conducted in some Silesian cities: Katowice, Gliwice, Rybnik in 2009—2010. The researches showed that malls are the real competition for city centre, especially when city centre is unattractive and sociofugal. Nevertheless city’s streets and squares still offer more possibilities to realize various needs concerning public space.

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