Space and Politics

Aspects of Henri Lefebvre's discussion

Abstract

 The aim of this contribution is to give an outline of Henri Lefebvre’s project to articulate thinking on space with critical sociopolitical theory, and more specifically with the critique of the neo-capitalist society. Foundational to this project is the idea of the production of (social) space, which involves Lefebvre’s opposition to an understanding of space as a “container”, in favour of its conception as a relational phenomenon, grounded on an ontological bond with the human body, as well as indissolubly linked to time. The analysis of this idea shows that space is not a mere stage for what takes place in the social realm, but is instead an important part of it, and thus possesses an inherent political dimension. This importance and dimension, though, has significantly increased within contemporary society and the space that it has produced, “abstract space”, because of the fact that space has been rendered an instrument of control at all levels: economic, political, ideological. However, this control of space and through it, though unprecedented in history, cannot be total, since “abstract space” itself creates new contradictions which escape the controlling forces.