ABSTRACT
‘Space’ has become an increasingly important concept in contemporary social and cultural theory. Yet the diversity of empirical and theoretical studies of space renders any attempt to provide a comprehensive account of space an enterprise fraught with difficulties. In fact, the possibility of a general theory of space appears to be contradicted by the abundance of interactional spheres that exist in differentiated social settings. In this chapter key insights gleaned from Lefevbre’s acclaimed book The Production of Space will be drawn upon to develop a tentative outline of a general theory of social space. Following reflection on some of the key limitations and questions arising from this approach, the final part of this chapter considers recent and possible future developments in social and cultural theories of space.
