I had the pleasure of attending lectures last semester by
the brilliant Professor Burt Olivier (Department of Journalism, Media and
Philosophy, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth).
He discussed the phenomena of the “space of flows” and “space
of places”, Manual Castells proposes in his book “The rise of the network
society” (1996, Second edition 2010). At
first I was puzzled (I won’t lie).
However after reading Prof Olivier’s 2013 article, Time(s), space(s) and communication in
Castells's 'Network Society , Communicare
: Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa, [ONLINE] VOL 32
(December), Available from http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication_article/comcare_v32_n2_a3,
regarding the book in question I now have a better understanding. Taking excerpts from the article and my own
understanding, I have written a short summary to assist with studying for my
test:
The Network Society
The ‘network society” according to Castells is a society identified
by electronic communication networks and networks supporting global economic
trade.
He distinguishes between the “Space of flows” and the “Space
of places” (discussed below).
The thesis explores the relationship between technological development
and society. Global society is
transforming due to current electronic communication technology (i.e. the rapid
onset of the internet). Modes of communication
(social, political, economic) have been altered and will ultimately have an
effect on culture as we know it (e.g. people in one space communicating with
each other on their smartphones). Mass
media, technological developments and the connection of the world markets through
a global network in the 1980’s, contributed to the development of the space of
flows. These modes of communication are
supported by governments and corporations, despite the lack of organisation and
control (pornography, pirate websites, etc).
Attempts of control have been made to no avail.
The Space of flows
A form of social interaction space changed by advanced
communication technology, characterised by simultaneity regardless of physical
distance. For example: instantaneous communication
(Facebook, IM) and trade (E-commerce). This
phenomenon can be traced back to the advent of roads and railways, only now we
have the “Super Highway”.
Castells refers to the ‘timeless time’ of the space of
flows. As I understand it, the ‘compression’
of time that is beneficial to political and economic transactions by minimising
time constraints leading to larger profits.
Larger profit and social dominance is the apotheosis of the space of
flows.
Castells indicates ‘three layers of material support of
flow-orientated practices’ (places or things that support the space of flows
that are dependent on information technology:
§
Broadcasting systems, telecommunications,
computer processing, high speed transport.
§
Nodes and hubs – government, medical treatment
centres
§
Social elites – society is dominated by the social
elites – organisations that disorganise society to their benefit.
The Space of places
The historically familiar sense of space that has time
sequence and materiality (e,g, house, home, neighbourhood, family).
Time is constructed through experience, social interaction
occurs in the same space (boardroom, city).
Time and space in the human experience is the space of places.
Cities are changing their structure to emulate information networks. Organisations are moving away from the
traditional city centre to outlying areas where separate ‘nodes’ are created
that communicate locally and globally.
Architecture in the
space of flows
It has been indicated (by many) that Post Modern
Architecture is the architecture of the space of flows, it “declares the end of
all systems of meaning”. This refers to the
eclectic nature of Post-modern architecture; the mixture of elements and ahistorical
styles.
There is however architecture that purposefully resists the
space of flows by contrasting between the space of flows and the space of
places.
§
Barcelona Airport (Bofill) – The airport has a
sterile, sparse ad dehumanising environment.
§
Madrid Highspeed AVE Station – The station
building encloses gardens which oppose the train platform.
Clock time and virtual
time
Castells proposes other ‘times’ including clock and virtual time.
Clock time refers to the ‘linear, measurable and predictable
time of the industrial era, which has a connection between past, present and
future, ‘human time’. Contemporary
societies are now dominated by clock time, however this is being challenged by
the space of flows.
Virtual time on the other hand refers to culture of post
modernism, the ‘virtual culture’.
Professor Olivier describes this as ‘the televisions capacity to bring
together on a depthless screen, places and times…selected from history and
geography’. Andrew Palframan (Lecturer
at the School of Architecture, NMMU) alludes to ‘A different place in the same
place’.
Implications
Prof Olivier highlights the possibility of a breakdown in
communication between those who want to protect humanity-preserving spaces and
the social elites promoting and reinforcing dehumanising space of flows.
He says further that the possibility of collective global
trauma may be an indication of possible change (i.e an unpredictable natural
event). The social elites and the
proletariat reside on the same planet and are both reliant on a sustainable
eco-system. If that fails we would have
to start over. Alternatively we could be
faced with an ‘eco-political’ social resistance against the practices emanating
from the space of flows… in the…. interests of natural ecologies. (Ultimately to avoid dystopia). Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
