Diverse and different: On the faces of social solidarity in Warsaw

Abstract

Growing spatial mobility is a challenge to cities in many ways. It brings positive development impulses and social diversity, but at the same time contributes to a decomposition of existing structures and is a challenge to planning. Under the conditions of the obvious signum temporis -an intensifying hyper-diversity and a growing liquidity of values with weakening social bonds and a less evident physical rootedness, the question should be posed whether urban places can still sustain their interactive local identity based on social solidarity, mutual support and trust. The problem is tested on the example of two districts of Warsaw -Praga Północ and Ursynów. In the search for regularities in the relation between the level of social diversity on one side and social solidarity on the other, the analysis focuses on the areas characterised by fundamental differences in their historic development, built environment and social structure. Key wordssocial diversity • social solidarity • post-socialist city • Warsaw • Praga Północ • Ursynów "The cross-links that enable a district to function as a Thing are neither vague nor mysterious. They consist of working relationships among specific people, many of them without much more in common than that they share a fragment of geography" (Jacobs 1961:54)

Attributes of hyper-diverse neighbourhoods important for entrepreneurship: An exploratory study in 13 European cities

“…In Northern Milan, cheap housing and good connections have proved to be beneficial for businesses seeking new locations (Barberis and Angelucci, 2016), while another factor is the availability of rented premises provided mainly by public institutions, especially in post-socialist cities. In Praga Północ (Warsaw) and Józsefváros (Budapest) rented premises constitute a significant part of the municipality-owned housing stock, and although the majority of municipal premises can be considered below standard, this has been an indirect pull factor for small entrepreneurs to come to Praga Północ due to the associated low rents (Fabula et al, 2017;Korcelli-Olejniczak et al, 2016).…”

“…Entrepreneurs also pointed out the contribution of new spaces and facilities provided to creative enterprises. In Jasofvaros (Budapest), an enterprise centre that operates as an incubator space for start-ups today provides comprehensive services and subsidies and supports its clients (Boros et al, 2016), while the Creativity Centre in Targowa 56, and the very recently opened Google campus in Praga Polnac (Warsaw) are stated as successful in attracting start-up firms (Korcelli-Olejniczak et al, 2016). Similarly, in Tallinn, enterprises located in creative centres enjoyed a concentration of creative enterprises in their immediate vicinity and cooperation among them (Tammaru et al, 2017).…”

Neighbouring the different: Social interaction in a Warsaw subarea

“…The socio-economic context in which these processes are embedded, related to the systemic change in East and Central Europe, defines their specificity (Kovacs, 1998;Węcławowicz, 2004;Kovacs et al 2013;Korcelli-Olejniczak, Piotrowski, 2017;.…”