Setha Low
1948
American anthropologist who studies public space from the inside: who uses it, who feels out of place and why.
Low applied ethnographic fieldwork to plazas and parks, and showed that a space can be legally open and closed in practice. Surveillance, the design of the furniture, opening hours or simply who is already there determine who dares to stay.
Her study of gated communities in the United States and Latin America is the reverse side: it explains why families who say they are seeking security end up describing more fear inside the wall than outside, and how that individual choice fragments the city for everyone else.
On Setha Low in this archive
- Public space
Setha Low and Spatial Justice
Setha Low, an American anthropologist and urban scholar, has made important contributions to the study of public…
Setha Low 3 min read - Public space
Setha Low and Don Mitchell: Public Space Politics
Public space politics refers to the processes and dynamics that determine who has access to, control over, and the…
Henri Lefebvre 3 min read - Public space
Urban Territoriality: Understanding Inclusion and Exclusion
Urban territoriality shapes how people interact with city spaces, influencing inclusion and exclusion. Learn about…
Setha Low 3 min read - Public space
Public Space: Key to Inclusive and Participatory Cities
Public space is a fundamental component of how cities function—not only as a physical setting
Setha Low 1 min read
