CC BY
40
YffK 81.42
DOI10.25513/2413-6182.2019.6(3). 645-654
ISSN 2413-6182 eISSN 2658-4867
NEW FORMS OF URBAN DISCOURSE AS A REFLECTION OF SOCIAL CTANGE*
O.A. Leontovich
Volgograd State Socio-Pedagogical University (Volgograd, Russia), Tianjin Foreign Studies University (Tianjin, China)
Abstract: The paper is written from the perspective of urban communication studies - a growing field of research based on the conjunction between urban studies and communication studies, both of which make an important contribution to the field. The aim of the present paper is to give an overview of modern tendencies in the development of urban discourse, with a further focus on sociolinguistic aspects of communication in a city as an existential space. The investigation shows that urban communication is formed under the influence of two opposite information flows: 'top-down' represented by centralized media and 'bottom-up', initiated by common people and displaying such positive features as grassroots initiative, growth of face-to-face rather than computer-mediated communication, emphasis on intellectual and cultural activities. The new communication practices are realized in such forms as flashmobs, improvised dance floors for younger or older people, intellectual PechaKucha parties, art exhibitions, debates, express dating, etc. Specifically Russian are such practices as 'posidelki', 'kvartirniki' and 'anti-cafés'.
Key words: urban communication studies, urban discourse, new communication practices, anti-café.
For citation:
Leontovich, O. (2019), New forms of urban discourse as a reflection of social change. Communication Studies (Russia), Vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 645-654. DOI: 10.25513/2413-6182.2019.6(3).645-654. (in Russian)
About the author:
Leontovich, Olga Arkadyevna, Professor, Dr. (Advanced Doctorate), Chair of the Department of Intercultural Communication and Translation, Volgograd State Socio-Pedagogical University; Professor of Tianjin Foreign Studies University (Tianjin, China)
* The reported study was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research according to the research project № 17-29-09114.
© O.A. AeoHmoeuH, 2019
Corresponding author:
Postal address: 27, Lenina pl., Volgograd, 400066, Russia
E-mail: olgaleo@list.ru Received: February 27, 2019 Revised: March 11, 2019 Accepted: July 10, 2019
Introduction
Urban communication studies is a growing field of research, which attracts more and more scholars who view the city as "a dynamic space and place in transition" [Encyclopedia of Urban Studies]. Its interdisciplinary character is based on the conjunction between urban studies and communication studies, both of which make an important contribution to the field. As J. Fornas remarks, "the corresponding research areas have largely been cultivated in mutual isolation but today increasingly converge" [Fornas 2006]. Their union produces a new quality allowing scholars to achieve a better understanding of the urban environment and suggest effective ways to meet people's economic, social and cultural needs.
The aim of the present paper is to give an overview of modern tendencies in the development the urban landscape, with a further focus on sociolin-guistic aspects of communication in a city as an existential space. According to the estimates of the United Nations, "by 2030, more than two-thirds of the total world population will live in urban areas" [Encyclopedia of Urban Studies]. The study of urban discourse shows how verbal and nonverbal communication shapes, directs and changes the life of a big city where new forms of human interaction emerge and develop.
Background, methodology and key principles
Cities can be viewed from different perspectives: as geographical spaces; "engineered formations designed for functionality" [Low, Kalekin-Fishman 2019]; sites of complex social and political interactions; sources of new communication practices, etc. They are places with a diverse social structure where different aspects of human identity (age, gender, ethnic and cultural background, class and status] are realized. Social stratification is contextualized through the use of different shops, places to eat, entertainment sites, playgrounds for kids, places of worship, etc. A city is deemed a good or bad place to live depending on an opportunity to get a job, access to housing and education, safety, ease of transportation and other factors which account for the citizens' well-being, 'level of happiness' and satisfaction. All those factors are constantly negotiated, due to which scholars characterize cities as "places and products of communication" [Encyclopedia of Urban Studies].
The methodological approach in the present study is based on the theoretical frameworks of symbolic interactionism and critical discourse analysis [Foucault 1977; Fairclough 2003; Blommaert 2005], in combination with the
research instruments of sociolinguistics, semiotics and ethnography of communication [Leontovich, 2018; 2019].
The research project "Language of a Big City: Media Urban Discourse in Russia and China" (headed by the author of this paper] has shown that a city's image is shaped by historical memories, cultural heritage, globalization processes, political decisions and social movements [Bakumova 2018; Kotelnikova 2018; Leontovich, Kotelnikova 2018; Leontovich 2019; Jansson 2006]. There is a need for further investigation of new communication practices and forms of human interaction in an urban landscape and the social processes that affect them. This paper is a contribution to the efforts made by scholars to elucidate the current tendencies in urban discourse development.
Main themes in urban communication studies
The range of themes discussed in the sphere of urban communication studies is very wide. The list below has been created as a result of the analysis of numerous publications, conferences, presentations, calls for conference papers and interaction with Russian and foreign colleagues.
1. Historical memories and their reflection in the urban landscape; representation of the city's history through monuments, memorials, symbols, songs, poetry, literature and local media; historic and contemporary urban narratives; narrative construction of the city.
2. The city as a geographical space and physical context of urban communication; transportation as a communication network; production of cen-trality in the city's space; built and unbuilt environment; social segregation of urban space and its reflection in language; contested urban space; urban environmental philosophy; the city's topography and toponymics.
3. Political discourse and its role in power relations; political construction of the city in local media (TV, radio, newspapers, Internet sites, billboards, leaflets, etc.]; interaction and conflict between institutions, commercial companies, social and political groups.
4. The city as a real vs. abstract ('imagined'] community; relationship between urban practices and their linguistic and visual representations; formation of communities through communication practices; the city's role in forming people's identities; neighbourhood communication patterns; citizen participation and different forms of city activism.
5. Shopping centres, parks, playgrounds, markets, parking places, etc. as 'texts'; urban image construction through media, advertising, celebrations, festivals, concerts, art exhibitions and artefacts; famous people and their role in city branding; a city's self-presentation and its perception by visitors; cultural policy: creative processes in urban art and their influence on urban communication.
6. Relationship between public discourse and people's private life; city communication networks; forms of interaction in public places; urban areas as hybrids of public and private spaces.
7. Safety, sustainability, privacy, intrusion; gated communities; surveillance practices and their semiotic representation; communication practices in dangerous and safe urban areas; night-time economies, entertainment and transportation.
8. Reflection of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity in urban communication; globalization tendencies in the urban landscape.
9. Religious discourse; verbal and nonverbal forms of urban religious communication.
10. New trends in urban development; formation of new media and communication technologies; new urban subcultures; new forms, strategies and styles of communication, new tendencies in language development.
11. Communication between different cities, their suburban and rural surroundings.
The list does not cover all the possible research topics; however, it demonstrates the unlimited possibilities of urban communication studies as a growing discipline concerned with "the ways language is inscribed onto environments" and demonstrating "how such inscriptions reflect broader sociolin-guistic, socio-cultural and political realities" [Jones 2017: 7].
Forms of communication
Urban discourse is realized in multiple forms - verbal, visual, olfactory, etc. As G. Modan puts it, "city streets are texts that are written in words, images, and architectural features" [Mondan 2017: 15].
The semiotic signs which define the face of a modern city include: a] to-ponyms (place names]; b] architecture; c] arrangement of public and private space; d] signs of racial, ethnic, age, gender and religious identity; e] places of interest; f] names of local celebrities; g] advertising, billboards, posters and graffiti; h] local mass media; i] local food, its packaging and decoration; j] local souvenirs; k] names and format of popular communication practices.
These signs can express a great variety of meanings. In our previous publications [Leontovich 2018; 2019] we have shown how the semiotic method can be used to analyse them in the context of urban communication:
Step 1: to identify the subject and object of semiosis (who created the sign? whose worldview does it represent? who is the addressee? how is its perceived by different individuals and social groups?].
Step 2: to investigate the signifier and the signified and reveal the factors of the sign's contextualization (to which extent do time and location determine the perception of the sign? how can the change of context influence its interpretation?].
Step 3: to identify the aim of the sign's use.
Step 4: to reveal the surface and in-depth meaning of verbal and nonverbal messages.
Step 5: to explain the sign's modality and the way it reflects the type of social relationship between communicators.
New communication practices
The processes which characterize contemporary urban communication include: a growing complexity of the urban environment, "rapid growth of transportation and communications networks" [Katsara 2008], wide use of digital media (digitalization] which accounts for "enhanced interaction / connectivity" [Modan: 15], an increasing privatisation, commercialisation, and commodifica-tion [Kvyat 2015: 6]. As a result, in order to correspond to the new requirements, "large cities make efforts to re-define <...> their identity" [Katsara 2008].
Today the buzz words that act as a program for urban development are 'smart city', 'safe city', 'innovative city', 'creative city'. The new tendencies produce changes in modern communication patterns.
Our investigation shows that urban communication is formed under the influence of two opposite information flows:
1] "top-down" communication is represented by centralized media, which employs aggressive strategies, conflict and scandal aimed at attracting the attention of a wide audience;
2] "bottom-up" communication (interpersonal and social group interaction], which, though strongly affected by global mass media, displays positive features as a way of counterbalancing the flow of negativity: grassroots initiative; growth of face-to-face rather than computer-mediated communication; emphasis on intellectual and cultural activities.
A. Kvyat, the author of several insightful works devoted to Russian urban communication, points out that contemporary Russia can be regarded as a country of two separate communicative cultures. The vertical communication of the state with society formed by TV and other mass media is one-way and monological. The second culture rooted in social media is chaotic, non-linear, acentric, organized along the horizontal lines of social networking. It is based on self-organization, initiative and media activism of common people [Kvyat 2013: 351].
The variety of public places in Russia catering to different incomes, tastes, interests, political views, educational backgrounds, etc. reflects both global influences and the desire to return to the local cultural roots. On the one hand, there are elegant, fashionably decorated cafés, restaurants and shops creating an illusion of Western authenticity. On the other hand, we observe the emergence of old- and new-style places "made in Russia" appealing to patriotic and nostalgic feelings or creative impulses. Complimentary wi-fi access is seen as a necessary service offered by modern cafés and tearooms. People come there not only to get something to eat or drink, but to work or spend time with colleagues and friends. A.Kvyat points out that "public places are becoming more and more multifunctional all over the world" [Kvyat 2015: 4].
The new communication practices emerge among self-organized groups and are realized in such forms as flashmobs, improvised dance floors for younger or older people, intellectual PechaKucha parties, art exhibitions, debates,
express dating, etc. Specifically Russian are such practices as 'posidelki', 'kvar-tirniki' and 'anti-cafés'.
The wish to change the world, improve one's own lifestyle and have more fun often goes hand in hand with the negation of old communication forms. Linguistically, it is marked by the emergence of words which signify not so much antagonism or opposition, but rather a protesting spirit. They are formed either with the help of negative affixes, e. g. 'unpopular culture', 'counter-narratives', or, on the contrary, by dropping an affix, as in 'munication' - activity without interaction (as opposed to 'communication'] or 'monstration' - a creative public performance parodying a serious demonstration.
'Anti-café' as a term falls into the same category. It was created as a public space, to a certain extent contrasting a traditional café.
The first prototype of an anti-café was Dom na dereve ('Tree House'] created by a Russian entrepreneur Ivan Mitin in Moscow in 2010. It worked in the 'pay-what-you-can' format, i. e. each guest could leave a not-mentioned amount of money to thank the hosts. The so-called 'free space Ziferblat opened in 2011. The term 'anti-café' was invented in 2012 to describe another new place called Babochki ('Butterflies'].
Later anti-cafés were opened in different parts of the world: the Zifer-blat, Necafe (literally 'Non-café'], TimeClud chains in Russia, UK, Ukraine, Slovenia, Mongolia, etc., be'kech Anticafé in Germany, Anti-Café in France, Seneca in Romania, Motley Crow in Ireland, Level 1 in Tunisia, Repubblica in Brazil, AEON in Armenia, etc.
The concept behind anti-cafés is that, unlike traditional cafés, they function on a pay-per-minute basis. This is a specific format of public space used for meetings, work, entertainment and cultural activities. Visitor only pay for the time spent, everything else is free, hence the names 'time-café', 'time coffee-house' or 'time club'.
Anti-café is not just an innovative form of business - it is a new form of communication. It is positioned as one of the so called 'third places', the 'first place' being home, the 'second place' - work, and the 'third place' - informal gathering spaces giving people an opportunity to socialize [Oldenburg,1989]. Pavel Melnikov, one of the founders of the above-mentioned anti-café Babochki, wrote: "We aimed to create a home atmosphere where nothing disturbed people, where they could just stay".
As a rule, the space in an anti-café consists of a big sitting-room and a kitchen; there may also be other rooms where people can freely move. The menu usually includes free coffee and tea, chocolate, snacks and deserts. Visitors can also bring their own food. Self-service, sharing the same microwave, kettle or coffee machine contribute to the feeling of togetherness and help to create a community feeling.
The target clientele are young people - students, self-employed musicians, artists, photographers, computer people who come to an anti-café to
have a meeting, use free wifi access, a printer, skype cabins or coworking facilities, attend master classes, concerts, seminars, watch videofilms or participate in board game tournaments.
Anti-cafés also promote their own system of values. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed. Some places demonstrate strong preference for organic, healthy food. Be'kech Anticafé in Berlin formulates its values in the following way: "We have no place for sexism, homophobia, transphobia, any form of racism such as anti-Muslim racism, anti-Jewish racism, any sort of discrimination as well as violent or aggressive behaviour. Be'kech is a safe space for all, an open forum for dialogue, criticism and hope and a place where we stand up for one another". Anti-cafés also position themselves as public spaces which allow people to improve their skills, network and keep updated with this world's fast-changing industries.
Given below are examples of other new forms of communication that we observed in Volgograd - one of the ten biggest cities in Russia:
Loft1890 - a creative space for different kinds of events, such as debates, demonstration of experimental films with their further discussion, food tasting, theatre-lednik (with a stress on -e-), informal site for young actors, etc.; bicycle races; 'kvartirniki' - events organized in a private flat; people fests; project 'intellectual Wednesdays'; quizzes; intellectual parties and presentations on interesting topics, such as 'perezagruzka' ('reloading') about serious changes in a person's life; PechaKucha and art parties; a research café; salsa parties, etc.
Flexible and creative forms of interaction produce new language. The names of anti-cafés reflect the innovative and challenging format of communication itself: 4RooM, CyberTime, ДК Time, 02 lounge&hookah, Kafedra, etc.
Globalization and multilingualism, as well as creative use of language, bring about changes in discourse patterns and vocabulary, e. g.:
1) acquisition of foreign words to nominate the new communication formats, such as флэшмоб (flashmob), пипл фэст (people fest), печа-куча (PechaKucha);
2) creation of hybrids denoting those communication formats and their participants: сальса вечеринка (salsa vecherinka = salsa party), художник-аутсайдер (khudoznik-outsider = artist outsider);
3) use of wordplay: Икра (name of 'creative space' based on the interplay of two words: igra - game and ikra - caviar), Котокафе Котейня (Koto-café Koteinya - an interplay of three words: kot - cat, café and kofeinya -coffeehouse).
Final considerations
Having analysed the present state of urban communication studies, we can conclude that it is based on the union between urban studies and communication studies, both of which contribute to the field and allow scholars to
achieve a better understanding of the city as an existential space. We have shown that the new communication practices are realized in such international forms as flashmobs, improvised dance floors, intellectual PechaKucha parties, art exhibitions, debates, express dating, etc. and specifically Russian forms, such as 'posidelki', 'kvartirniki' and 'anti-cafés'. The changes in discourse patterns are associated with the growth of a new generation, with its own aspirations, perception of the environment and desire for social changes - all the factors that have a profound effect on contemporary urban life and its semiotic representation.
References
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НОВЫЕ ФОРМЫ УРБАНИСТИЧЕСКОГО ДИСКУРСА И ИХ СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ИСТОКИ
О.А. Леонтович
Волгоградский государственный социально-педагогический университет
(Волгоград, Россия) Тяньцзиньский университет иностранных языков (Тяньцзинь, КНР)
Аннотация: Статья написана с позиций медиаурбанистики - стремительно развивающейся научной дисциплины, возникшей на стыке урбанистики и теории коммуникации. Цель исследования - рассмотреть современные тенденции развития урбанистического дискурса, уделив особое внимание социолингвистическим аспектам коммуникации в большом городе как экзистенциальном пространстве. Исследование показывает, что городская коммуникация формируется под влиянием двух противоположных информационных потоков: нисходящего, представленного централизованными СМИ, и восходящего, создаваемого простыми людьми и демонстрирующего позитивные тенденции, такие как инициатива снизу, возрастание роли межличностного общения в противовес виртуальному, предпочтение творческих и интеллектуальных видов деятельности. Новые коммуникативные практики реализуются в таких формах, как флэшмобы, импровизированные танцпл-щадки, интеллектуальные вечеринки «печа-куча», арт-выставки, дебаты и
т. д. К специфически русским коммуникативным практикам относятся антикафе, «посиделки» и «квартирники».
Ключевые слова: медиаурбанистика, урбанистический дискурс, новые коммуникативные практики, антикафе.
Для цитирования:
Леонтович О.А. Новые формы урбанистического дискурса и их социальные истоки // Коммуникативные исследования. 2019. Т. 6. № 3. С. 645-654. DOI: 10.25513/2413-6182.2019.6(3).645-654.
Сведения об авторе:
Леонтович Ольга Аркадьевна, доктор филологических наук, профессор, зав. кафедрой межкультурной коммуникации Волгоградского государственного социально-педагогического университета; профессор Тяньцзиньского университета иностранных языков
Контактная информация:
Почтовый адрес: 400066, Россия, Волгоград, пр. Ленина, 27 E-mail: olgaleo@list.ru Финансирование
Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке РФФИ в рамках научного проекта № 17-29-09114
Дата поступления статьи: 27.02.2019 Дата рецензирования: 11.03.2019 Дата принятия в печать: 10.07.2019
