The Killing Fields of Social Inequality: Experience of Understanding Modern Urban Development

Abstract

The article providesan overview of the discussions of foreign and domestic authors about the prospects and models of urban development, ongoing in the context of the new urbanism, cultural sociology of space. The conclusion is that the city as a place of mobility, as a variety of intensive social interaction networks, produces fields of social inequality. A comparative analysis of the empirical data relating to the study of the spatial, social and economic development of Tomsk city and the identification of citizens' loyalty to its development strategies is conducted. Adequate management strategies of spatial development of the city, including the global and local challenges, are revealed. Global experience shows that the quality of the urban environment is the balance among state control, commercial initiatives and involvement of citizens. Only in this case the "spatial inequality" won't develop exponentially. The article also analyzes the management decisions related to the tasks of smoothing inequality, overcome stereotypes, removing communication barriers, the construction of new types of social interactions, the institutionalization of new urban citizenship codes. In line with the concept of inclusive design is considered production of spatial justice city, convenient for people's lives with a different set of options.