The role of public spaces in achieving social integration in an Algerian city: The case of the city of Oum El Bouaghi

Abstract

The importance of public spaces in the organization of urban space, has been recognised by various urban actors within town planning policies towards providing various social groups across the urban tissue of the city. As the privileged space of social life, this allows meeting and integration between members of society. Many public spaces are spread over the entire urban area of the Algerian city of Oum El Bouaghi, which has seen an increase since the administrative upgrading of the city to the province siege in 1974. However, these neighbourhoods suffer from various problems. Problems that affected the failure to fulfill their fundamental and original role are examined in this study which focuses on the dynamics of existing public spaces. The he urban pole of ‘Macomadas’, one of the recent large districts of the city of Oum El Bouaghi is chosen to understand its role in achieving social integration. This was achievable by relying on results of a questionnaire that was distributed to a population sample, which shed light on the need to pay attention to the participation of the population in public spaces in accordance with the customs and traditions in force in the city to achieve social integration.