Actor-relations matter: The impact of central actors on public space management

• Applicant: Dr. Da Hae Lee
• Subject Area: City Planning, Spatial Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, Landscape Planning
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 561718887

Public spaces are important features of urban areas, yet many of them, especially those that are located in densely built-up and highly populated cities, have issues with over-consumption and use conflict. Moreover, as public spaces are increasingly provided and/or managed by private entities, issues of control and exclusion arise. Such problems require proper management to ensure the functionality of existing public spaces. Previous research reveals that involved actors and the network structure that emerges from their interaction affect the way public spaces are managed. However, which actors get involved and how their network is formed and managed can depend on central actors, such as public space manager, as they select appropriate actors and influence their interactions. Prevailing power imbalances among stakeholders can negatively affect public space management, leading to injustice when the interests of a marginalised population are less presented. This research project builds on a previous research on the public park management from an actor and network perspective. By analysing six parks in Berlin, this research aims to examine the influence of different types of managers on public space management. Thereby it asks important questions including 1) how central a manager is in managing public space; 2) with which actors the manger works especially close and how central those actors are; and 3) what management outcome this network structure results in. The research uses several sources of data and mixed methods, i.e., multiple-case-study approach, content analysis, social network analysis and comparative analysis.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants