Social sammanhållning genom mötesplatser : Offentliga mötesplatsers betydelse för social trivsel och individers känsla av trygghet

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this essay is to highlight the importance of public meeting places for people's sense of social well-being and security, and thereby social cohesion. The purpose and issues of the thesis have been developed in consultation with Halmstad municipality, with the aim that the study will serve as a basis for the municipality in their urban development project regarding the area Larsfrid and Vilhelmsfält. The idea is that a more mixed development that offers both housing and meeting places will be developed. In an increasingly globalized world where both diversity and individualism become a larger part of the society we live in, the risk of segregation and polarizations between different groups increases. Creating public places where people with different backgrounds have the opportunity to meet and make valuable exchanges of experiences opens up for a social rotation and a stronger community, which in turn promotes social cohesion. The study's approach has followed a hermeneutic methodology where we have conducted qualitative interviews with four women and four men in close areas to Larsfrid and Vilhelmsfält. Our results have been analyzed based on our chosen theories, Randall Collins' theory of Interaction Rituals Chains, Thomas Scheff's theory of Social Bond and Rolf Lidskog's theory of social order. Through theoretical connections and our own interpretations of our material, we found that the majority of our respondents feel that public meeting places where other people circulate are an important component for them to experience both social well-being and security. Furthermore, based on our material, we can conclude that public meeting places have a beneficial effect on social cohesion.