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Assembling Co-presence: Exploring the Socio-Material Dynamics of Social Interaction in Malmö

Lindgren, Hugo LU (2025) SGEL36 20251
Department of Human Geography
Abstract
The thesis explores the agency of material artefacts in shaping co-presence and facilitating social interaction in three central squares in Malmö, Sweden: Stortorget, Lilla Torg, and Gustav Adolfs Torg. Drawing on a relational approach to space and Actor-Network Theory, the study combines structured and unstructured observations to analyse patterns of mobility, activity, and interaction. Findings show that specific artefacts, particularly those affording seating possibilities, play a key role in enabling meaningful co-presence. The analysis reveals how key material artefacts have contributed to the stabilisation of certain behaviours and mobility patterns, creating distinct atmospheres across the squares. Lilla Torg, for example, exhibits... (More)
The thesis explores the agency of material artefacts in shaping co-presence and facilitating social interaction in three central squares in Malmö, Sweden: Stortorget, Lilla Torg, and Gustav Adolfs Torg. Drawing on a relational approach to space and Actor-Network Theory, the study combines structured and unstructured observations to analyse patterns of mobility, activity, and interaction. Findings show that specific artefacts, particularly those affording seating possibilities, play a key role in enabling meaningful co-presence. The analysis reveals how key material artefacts have contributed to the stabilisation of certain behaviours and mobility patterns, creating distinct atmospheres across the squares. Lilla Torg, for example, exhibits a highly stabilized network centred around the restaurant culture. The thesis concludes that artefacts are not passive elements but actively co-produce public life, offering affordances that can both invite and inhibit interaction. (Less)
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author
Lindgren, Hugo LU
supervisor
organization
course
SGEL36 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Co-presence, Social Interaction, Public Space, Actor-Network Theory, Space Syntax Theory, Malmö
language
English
id
9193019
date added to LUP
2025-06-12 14:46:14
date last changed
2025-06-12 14:46:14
@misc{9193019,
  abstract     = {{The thesis explores the agency of material artefacts in shaping co-presence and facilitating social interaction in three central squares in Malmö, Sweden: Stortorget, Lilla Torg, and Gustav Adolfs Torg. Drawing on a relational approach to space and Actor-Network Theory, the study combines structured and unstructured observations to analyse patterns of mobility, activity, and interaction. Findings show that specific artefacts, particularly those affording seating possibilities, play a key role in enabling meaningful co-presence. The analysis reveals how key material artefacts have contributed to the stabilisation of certain behaviours and mobility patterns, creating distinct atmospheres across the squares. Lilla Torg, for example, exhibits a highly stabilized network centred around the restaurant culture. The thesis concludes that artefacts are not passive elements but actively co-produce public life, offering affordances that can both invite and inhibit interaction.}},
  author       = {{Lindgren, Hugo}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Assembling Co-presence: Exploring the Socio-Material Dynamics of Social Interaction in Malmö}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}