Nedoseka E. V., Nenko A. E., Lisenkov O. O. (2022) Representation of Perceived Safety of the Urban Environment in the Neighborhood Online Communities of Saint Petersburg. Monitoring of Pub lic Opi ni on: Econ om ic and So cial Chan ges. No. 5. P. 196-215. https: ...

Abstract

The article looks at the analysis of the representation of the perceived safety of the urban environment, which is translated in the neighborhood online communities of Saint Petersburg. We conducted research into the subjective perception of safety by the communities living in the historical district of the city. The research was based on different theoretical approaches to understanding of the phenomenon of perceived safety. The subject of the study is the discourse presented on the pages of the public social media. The discourse is formed by neighbors as a result of their interaction with the environment. The main attention of the research was paid to the narratives of neighbors regarding those elements of the environment that cause feelings of anxiety and worrying. The methodological basis of the research is the use of mixed methods of text analyses, in particular, a combination of the qualitative analysis of statements and the content analysis of concepts related to safety issues. The theoretical basis of the article is an approach of Ludwig Wittgenstein, which focuses on the relativity of the language meaning. According to this approach, the meaning of a concept is based on its interpretation that can be traced through the accompanying words with which this concept occurs together in verbal or written speech. As a result of the research, we have identified the components of the urban environment that appear in the discourse of communities as significant in terms of the perceived safety. These are: a) agents that influence the perceived safety of the neighborhood community (tour guides, tourists, visitors of restaurants, etc.); b) environmental objects associated with the perceived safety (for example, the state of infrastructure, pedestrian zones, closed courtyards and front entrances); c) spontaneous practices of the community for ensuring safety. The study concludes that the features of the living environment of communities significantly affect the actualization and interpretation of those elements of the environment that are noticed by neighbors and are discussed by them.