This symposium is organized as part of the second festival of the Human Cities network called: "Reclaiming public space”, to be held in Brussels from 15 until 31 March 2012. Human Cities is a European network that groups scientific and cultural partners involved in research and information on spatial, social and political innovation related to the production of public space in contemporary cities. The partners in this network are: ULB, Faculty of Architecture La Cambre-Horta, Brussels, BE – Pro Materia, Brussels, BE – Strategic Design Scenarios, Brussels, BE – Politecnico di Milano, Faculty of design, Department INDACO, Milan, IT – Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS), Ljubljana, SLO – L a Cité du Design, Saint- Etienne, FR – Time Circus, Antwerp, BE – Esterni, Milan, IT – Prostoroz, Ljubljana, SLO – Clearvillage, London, UK.

The symposium is organized with the collaboration of the Association of European School of planning (AESOP) - Thematic Group “Public spaces and urban cultures”

Theme
Many of those who think about contemporary cities have stressed the shrinking or metamorphosis of public spaces in their common acceptance. Public space as a spatial entity presumably accessible to all, has been standardized, readapted, secured, museumified, privatized and no longer supports a diversity of presence, particularly due to the takeover of public space by the State or by the market, as people have drawn back into the private sphere, and as a result of the decline of public discussion and common action.

Nevertheless, contemporary movements worldwide and within Europe empirically show the contrary. Every day, new individuals, new creative communities, new collaborative networks get organized to "reclaim" public space, spatially, physically and politically. This symposium will take a look in a general way at these "bottom-up" initiatives (originated by citizens, artists, associations etc.). These initiatives, which can be material (facilities, installations, furniture, ...) and/or immaterial (mobilizations, exchange of know-how and services, ...), lasting or short-lived, have one thing in common – they are backed by players who have little to do with institutions, who are trying to invent, experiment, stimulate or relay certain objects, processes, programmes, usages or social interactions within public space. They also seem to be (at least partially) detached from other forms of activism that sprang up in urban movements in the 60s and 70s, both because of the justifications underlying them, and in their formalization. Yesterday, urban activism seemed to be based on an unshakable belief in ambitious ideals and to be structured vertically with intensive commitments; today, it seems that the civil society initiatives that are trying to reclaim public space result from a feeling of urgency, a need for immediate effectiveness in dealing with local problems and are mostly structured horizontally, in accordance with personalized commitments.

These initiatives, scattered all over Europe and the world, are broadly publicized by various types of media and often inspire urban professionals, public authorities and even private actors in their interventions in public space. However, despite the broad movement of empathy they inspire, it is still hard to apprehend their real power to transform space, the way we live together, and collective discussion and action. For this symposium, we would like to show how researchers in a wide variety of disciplines (ranging from urban planning to design, via architecture, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, history, geography, law, etc.) contribute to observing, describing, theorizing, assessing and even sp eading these initiatives.

Timetable
14 October 2011: Deadline for sending proposals (max. 2,000 characters, spaces included)
18 November 2011: Final selection of proposals and response to authors
13 January 2012: Deadline for sending the final texts (max. 30,000 characters, spaces included)
17 February 2012: Feedback to authors and potential re-orientation
15-16 March 2012: Symposium
Late May: Publication of the proceedings

Contact
symposium@humancities.eu