City as an arena

From Geography

The city as an arena of (his)stories is a metaphor thought of by Michel de Certeau. De Certeau was a philosopher, a theologian and historian. The city as an arena of (his)stories means that the city functions as a symbol for language. Companies, government’s and other powerful constitutions use strategy in shaping their city (or society) in order to continually use their power to assimilate the everyday man. This is manifested physically as well as in the products it creates. The individuals, the tactics, are trying to resist this use of strategy by shaping their city and environment as they feel and experience it. The city can be seen as an arena of (his)story because for many centuries strategy and tactic are in warfare to tell their own story. The city being drawn by the past and the present.

Sources

Certeau, M. (1984) The Practice of Everyday Life. University of California Press, Berkeley (electronic version) Crang, M. (2000) Relics, places and unwritten geographies in the work of Michel de Certeau (1925-1986). In: Crang, M. & Thrift, N. (eds.) Thinking space. Routledge, London, pp.136-153.