Colonization of Urban Civil Society

Abstract

Colonization of the urban civil society is a double process First, there is the increasing economic, functional and social strain on the households originating from more widespread and intensive participation in the labour market. More and more urban households are breaking down - or shrink ing' - for various reasons, while others are apparently thriving successfully, at least materially The primary networks are breaking down, at the same time as the secondary are being withdrawn with the welfare state, and the tertiary, the grassroots, are losing their basis This diversification is leading to an increased spatial segregation in the large cities which forms the basis for the secondary form of colonization , This is the so-called network activity in large social housing areas as a new part of Danish social policy The aim is replacement of the traditional secondary service networks with new quarternary social networks aimed at preventing and solving social problems, e.g violence, vandalism, isolation, etc. The objectives of improving the economy of the housing companies and of reducing the public weltare budget are paramount, and the strategy might develop into a 'cheap' alternative to former times welfare strategy The problem, however, seems to be that such a selective social network strategy cannot work permanently without massive, and sometimes also authoritarian, network activity, which involves definition, stimulation and control from above. Experiences and examples of this are discussed.