ABSTRACT
The brighter prospect provided by the authors lies, firstly, in debunking simplistic assumptions about the universally positive value of artificial lighting. It presents one of the first state-of-the-art overviews of current debates on lighting among the humanities and social sciences, covering the fields of history, literature, economics, law, political science, geography and planning studies. Some are well established, such as concerns for safety and security in under-lit nocturnal environments, the extension of economic activities into the hours of darkness or commercial interests in advertising through lighting. Citizen participation which is common in many planning issues is not well established in the context of lighting. A promising avenue of research is to explore the multiple geographies of lighting whether material, institutional or representational and how these manifest themselves in specific local contexts. Artificial light is a great enabler of the 24-hour society, extending hours of social and economic activity into darkness.
