Citation

Zhou J, Yang Y, Li Y, Maurer V. Environ. Plann. A 2018; 50(4): 752-755.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0308518X18774049

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Co-presence is a concept and a phenomenon of lasting interest among sociologists and the like (e.g. see Cooley, 1956; Mead, 1934; Zhao, 2003). It has two dimensions: co-presence as mode of being with others and co-presence as sense of being with others (Zhao, 2003). The former emphasizes the physical conditions that 'structure human interaction', whereas the latter stresses the 'subjective experience of being with others' (Zhao, 2003: 445). As cities become more and more populous and widespread, regardless of whether we like it or not, anonymity has become a defining characteristic of our daily lives (Milgram, 1977). Despite such anonymity, there are still recurrent physical co-presences of people in different locales and on different journeys that engender many 'familiar strangers' for us: we only know them by their respective faces and we never interact. They are treated as indispensable part of the environment or scenery (Milgram, 1977). We feel something missing if they are absent. They may look insignificant on the surface whereas are a precondition for more complex and meaningful social interactions that are crucial to a healthy community/city (Gehl, 2011).

Relying on traditional methods such as photographs and interviews, Milgram (1977) quantified and visualised physical co-presences of a small group of train riders at the platform level. Can we replicate that for thousands even millions of urban residents or visitors? It seems to be a daunting task. We are, however, still eager to accomplish it, hoping to acquire such knowledge as where and when co-presences are most likely to occur and what are the characteristics of the "where" and "when"...

Language: en