This article examines the socio-economic evolution of Japanese public bathhouses (sento) as dual spaces of the gendered economy and cultural exchange. Rooted in Shinto and Buddhist purification rituals, sento evolved from medieval religious sites into Edo-era commercial hubs that fostered communal ties and served as informal “information libraries” for commoners. Mixed bathing (konyoku), initially driven by economic necessity, became increasingly associated with eroticism through the labor of female attendants (yuna), revealing a gendered economy in which women’s bodies were commodified to sustain male productivity. During the Meiji period, modernization redefined sento as hygienic institutions, yet they persisted as resilient cultural symbols amid urbanization. A comparative analysis with Roman baths and Chinese teahouses highlights how sento connect religion, commerce, and gender relations while continually adapting to shifting notions of public and private life without losing their distinctive social functions.
This article explores the relationship between space and politics by analyzing the spatial representations and practices of political actors in Turkey. It argues how these actors generate collective dispositions constituting a political habitus, conceptualized as relational and spatially mediated phenomena, drawing on Bourdieu's concept of habitus, Lefebvre's theory of the social production of space, and de Certeau's notion of tactics. Focusing on the city center of Ankara, the study maps recurring mobilization and the urban positions of trade unions and professional chambers (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey [D & Idot;SK], Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions [KESK], Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects [TMMOB], and Turkish Medical Association [TTB]) that have organized a collective opposition against power since the 2000s, linking them to public spaces where mass actions occurred. Findings reveal that urban spaces not only reflect power relations but also actively structure opportunities for resistance and civic engagement, highlighting the interplay between structure, habitus, and action. The study contributes to understanding how urban areas become politicized and how social opposition acquires spatial form.
This article examines the transformation of spatial meanings and settlement morphology within a Bajau community in Sama Bahari Village, Wakatobi Regency, Indonesia, through a vernacular practice of incremental coral-based reclamation known as tembok. Challenging dominant representations of the Bajau as exclusively sea-oriented dwellers, the study reveals a gradual shift toward hybrid sea-land spatial formations actively produced through the accumulation of dead coral. While research on maritime communities often focuses on state-led reclamation or environmental adaptation, limited attention has been given to community-initiated micro-reclamation and its long-term spatial consequences. Using qualitative ethnographic documentation, spatial mapping, and morphological analysis, this study demonstrates that tembok operates as a culturally embedded spatial strategy rather than a purely technical intervention. Incremental reclamation extends domestic territories, reconfigures circulation networks, and introduces new functional zones, thereby reshaping everyday spatial practices and collective understandings of space. Despite ongoing ambiguities regarding ecological and regulatory frameworks, the persistence of coral-based reclamation highlights its role in sustaining maritime livelihoods while enabling socio-spatial expansion. The findings conceptualize incremental reclamation as a process of territorial morphogenesis, contributing to debates on indigenous coastal urbanization, spatial planning, and culturally grounded approaches to coastal settlement transformation.
The 2004 tsunami devastated Sri Lanka’s coastal regions, displacing thousands and resulting in the loss of over 30,000 lives and 65,000 homes. In response, owner-driven and donor-driven resettlement projects were launched to address the immediate housing needs of affected communities. However, these efforts often prioritized quantitative targets over qualitative aspects, neglecting the emotional and psychological needs of displaced individuals. This study explores the long-term user satisfaction of postdisaster housing in Sri Lanka, focusing on the Turkey Village resettlement in Midigama. Using a sequential two-stage methodology, data were collected in 2014 and 2023 through structured surveys of 30 households. Findings indicate a significant decline in satisfaction with physical attributes such as house plans, living room size, maintenance, and utility costs over the study period. These challenges were compounded by economic hardships, including inflation and rising living costs. However, improvements were noted in satisfaction with internal and external finishes, building materials, and kitchen size, reflecting localized advancements. The study also highlights notable demographic shifts, including aging populations and improved educational attainment, which correlated with an enhanced ability to recognize potential for housing modifications. This research underscores the dynamic nature of user satisfaction in postdisaster contexts, emphasizing the need for adaptive, user-centered, and sustainable planning. The findings contribute to evidence-based recommendations for improving future resettlement efforts and ensuring resilience, cultural relevance, and long-term community well-being.
This study critically examines the transformation of suburban shopping malls into civic spaces, focusing on the open-air mall called Americana At Brand (AAB) in Los Angeles. Employing Guy Debord's concept of the spectacle and Jean Baudrillard's theory of simulacra, the research explores how AAB constructs a hyperreal environment that blurs the lines between community and commerce, public and private. In addition, the analysis incorporates French sociologist Monique Pin & ccedil;on-Charlot and Michel Pin & ccedil;on's notion of entre-soi, highlighting how such spaces facilitate social closure among the affluent, thereby reinforcing existing class structures and exclusivity. Through qualitative analysis of AAB's design, functionality, and user experience, the study reveals that while these transformed spaces offer aesthetically appealing environments, they often perpetuate consumerist ideologies and privatized public realms. The findings raise critical questions about authenticity, inclusivity, and the role of such developments in the future of urban public life.
