'City. Elements and metamorphoses. Dynamics of urban space in sociological interpretation' 'Social conditionings of modernization of Silesian voievodship' WERONIKA ŚLĘZAK-TAZBIR (author of photograph) MAREK S. SZCZEPAŃSKI (project manager) University of Silesia, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Sociology, Division of Sociology of Development; Bankowa 11, 40-007 Katowice e-mail: nigusia@interia.pl

Description popularizing the research project

'You cannot cross the same river twice' says an old proverb. It has never be as true as now when the river flows so quickly. These of us who 'in their day' lived slowly, in harmony with the Universe can see it very clearly. Even these who have been carried away by the current notice it. Finally these who observe the river's current - sociologists, admit it too. Their reflections are rather depressing. We live at frantic pace in eternal rush overwhelmed by the feeling that we have been swallowed by a whirlpool which we cannot escape. Has the world changed and then we in turn or the other way round? Yet in the world of global chaos there is a soothing voice offering the answer. It is sociology. Sociologists know that from producers we turned into insatiable consumers of entertainment, comfort and gadgets. Media confirm it and assure us that the situation looks the same everywhere.
So, why should the wind of change blow different in Silesia?
The reason is that big Silesian cities, like nowhere in Poland, merge into one organism still keeping their historical and social identity. Another reason lies in the fact that the region for a long time was dominated by industry, especially mining, processing and manufacturing. When the wheel of time turned the heavy industry lost its privileged position. The opening vacuum was quickly filled by science and technology. We desperately try to find another man in this new intelligent and digital reality. We try to find lost human relations and ties which have already been carried away by the rapid current.
Scientific curiosity of impatient sociologists is quickly satisfied at the present pace of changes. Nevertheless one question still remains 'whether it is good or bad?' and nobody is able to answer it. Heraclitus would not probably too...

Abstract

The main purpose of this project was to describe the elements connected with social development and their influence on urban space. Processes of modernization, industrialization, globalization, informatization and all other changes resulted in far-reaching consequences of social and spatial metamorphoses. Dynamics of space we deal with in city grounds is a fact and therefore should constitute an important field for reflection and survey for sociologists, especially because we live in such a unique region where neighboring big cities compose mega-metropolis.
Social change which is more and more clearly mirrored in Silesian urban space can be described bipolarly (and for example):

• From industrial society to consumption society
• origination of new objects in space, which are to serve multi-level consumption (entertainment centres: multi-cinemas, bowling centres, discos, shopping malls, theme parks)
• From coal-based economy to knowledge - based economy
• Origination of high-tech parks, adaptation of old buildings e.g. of bankrupt industrial establishments for educational purposes of universities, which are becoming the most important institutions in the society based on knowledge
• From a factory chimney to a GSM transmitter - a GSM transmitter can be a symbol of a virtual society, in which new technologies play a major role. Coal mines and steel works are not dominating anymore, and although chimneys prevail over Silesian landscape they are being gradually substituted with GSM masts.
• Renaissance of city life, renaissance of local communities - despite the crisis of spatial relations we can observe: recapitalization of city centres, gentrification of old apartment houses in city centres, eradication of slums, revitalization of old backyards. Being a subject to different contemporary elements the space of Silesian cities is undergoing visible and very interesting for scholars metamorphoses.