Research Proposal Outline
While contemporary society remains deeply concerned with the question of individualism, developments within it appear closely connected to changing forms of sexuality and intimacy. Such changes are not restricted to the so-called "private" sphere, but help give rise to specific forms of societal organization and urban practices. The gradual introduction of material boundaries between the public and private spheres is inextricably linked to the process of "moral civilization", designed to eliminate all trace of close contact between bodies from public relations. However, on account of their density and diversity, modern cities are also characterized by an inevitable proximity to unknown bodies, which is in fact part of their attraction. Consequently, modern public space is forced to reconcile an ideal of peaceful coexistence with the desire to come into contact with the other. The proposed research aims to explore the links between sexuality - and, more generally, the range of necessary steps towards closer sexual relationships - and urban public space. Through a comprehensive analysis of close contact between bodies, taking into account the various registers of social conventions and actions that come into play, this project aims to reveal the types of spatial dynamics involved in changing forms of intimacy. Thus, it will consider, inter alia, the tensions between sexual gestures - ranging from flirting to sexual intercourse - and the demands of self presentation in public spaces. The discussion of sexuality will help us to understand more clearly the spatial dimension of relations with the other, as well as the tensions underlying public space planning and the organization of cities in general. To raise the issue of sexuality in a society where the burden of responsibility for an individual's destiny isplaced increasingly on the individual alone is also a means of raising the more general issue of geographical solutions that allow for the exploration and experimentation required by an individual's search for personal fulfilment, on one hand, and the orderly coordination of inhabitants necessary for the arrangement of cities, on the other. The proposed research will attempt to make this vital correlation clearly visible and apt for analysis. On the basis of hypotheses and a chosen methodology, it aims to provide the necessary tools for revealing the links between sexuality and space.
Hypotheses
Four hypotheses (2.3) will be explored in relation to the above. They can briefly be described as follows:
H1: Since it implies a revelation of the intimate, sexuality constitutes a specific issue at stake in contemporary public spaces;
H2: sexuality and all types of associated behaviour require a functional and conventional framework in order to exist within an urban order;
H3: sexuality is a defining operator of urban spaces, and
H4: a typology of public places may be established, according to their relative compatibility with closer sexual relationships.
Method
The four hypotheses will be tested using two different methods: a series of partially-directed biographical interviews with adolescents and adults, and ethnographic observations concerning various places in Geneva.
