Discourse on Public Spaces: Praguers in the Process of Globalization Changes and the Neoliberal Economy

Abstract

The chapter focuses upon selected aspects of the discourse on public space in Prague from 2010 to 2014. It identifies the main actors, themes and motivations of particular groups. The field data, come from an investigation initiated by the non-governmental, not-for-profit institution, “Open City” and which the Institute of Ethnology, contributed to the discussions and analyses. The data were collected by the Institute of Ethnology in 2013, 2014 with the intention of identifying the ways city dwellers utilize as well as speak about public spaces. The aim of this chapter is to briefly summarize the discourse about public spaces by Prague’s inhabitants and to explain the basic motives behind their reasoning. Findings also indicate the important role of the neoliberal economy in transforming post-socialist cities and their institutions.

The chapter was created with the support of the Progress Q22, Anthropological Inquiries within Humanities, Natural a Historical Sciences. The terrain data from 2013 to half-year of 2014 was for a gathering with a joint project of the Institute of Ethnology of the ASCR, v.v.i. and Open City o.p.s. The analysis of the users and the usage of the urban public space of the Capital City of Prague. For assistance in collecting the data, I would like to thank Anežka Jiráková, Blanka Kissová and Marie Hlavičková, particularly then Veronika Beranská, who besides the collection of data edited the final report from the research and commented also on this text.