THE SPACE HETEROGENEITY PROBLEM: THE CONCEPT OF HETEROTOPIA

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Abstract

The article attempts to actualize the spatial dimension of human existence, namely the phenomenon of heterotopia which became popular in the world at the end of the 20th century for rethinking modern network connections, performativity in culture, the new dominant mode of space, the mode of emplacement (l'emplacement), being on the frontier, inter- and transdisciplinary research. A brief review of the history of the concept of space suggests that the spatial aspect of human life was largely ignored in medieval and modern times. With the help of social topology and philosophical topography, which uses the phenomenological method, it becomes clear that contemporary cities are saturated with contradictory meanings that can be combined in heterotopias. Cities are complex topical formations with a huge number of highly charged places. In cities, we encounter a particularly pronounced element of heterotopias, which can be more or less tangible. Thus, heterotopias become “counter-locations”, a kind of utopia that has been realized. In them, everything real that people encounter is imagined, presented, questioned, and turned upside down. Six principles of heterotopias are given, outlining their essence. The example of several popular heterotopias demonstrates the need for a new approach to work with space in Ukrainian society, to its rethinking. Modern trends in many areas of life manifest this extraordinary relevance of the spatial issue, which, in our opinion, is best demonstrated in the phenomenon of juxtaposing several places in one space. Malls and the subway are such places of the greatest demonstrativeness of the essence of heterotopia in modern urban life. The subway has acquired special importance with the beginning of the full-scale invasion. As a result, these heterotopias reflect a defining ambiguity. On the one hand, we can agree with Foucault that heterotopias reflect the crisis (previously mainly deviant) nature of social relations, on the other hand, such a nature is already an integral part of social life in the 21st century.