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Image: Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee
Public spaces whether they are sidewalks in front of shops, bustling grocery stores or house yards, are more than just physical locations. They reflect cultural norms, community connections, and social habits that vary dramatically across different societies. A particularly striking example of these differences can be seen in how public spaces are used in the United States compared to Bangladesh. After moving from Bangladesh to the United States for higher education in August 2024, I was surprised by how differently public spaces are utilized in each country.
Public Space as a Cultural Hub in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh public spaces are vibrant community hubs where spontaneous social interactions are common representing a traditional and inclusive view of "public." These areas are seen as communal resources where people gather freely, reflecting the ideal described in Don Mitchell’s 1995 article “The End of Public Space?” which views public spaces as vital for democratic engagement. The culture of informal gatherings known as “adda” is woven into the fabric of daily life. Adda, a Bengali term for casual conversations, takes place in any available public space outside a shop, at a local tea stall, or on a street corner.
The “tong dokan,” known as small roadside tea stalls, are iconic features of the public space culture in Bangladesh. People frequent these tea stalls for quick chats, often lingering over cups of tea. This isn’t seen as idleness, rather it is a valued part of community life. These spontaneous gatherings are vital to Bangladeshi social life-giving platforms to share stories, discuss politics, gossips, and building social bindings. People of all age categories participate from young people chatting about the latest sports events like cricket and football and older generations reminiscing about their youth.
The Individualistic Nature of U.S. Public Spaces
In contrast public spaces in the United States reflect an individualistic culture where personal space and privacy are highly valued. While the USA is known for its cultural diversity and vibrant urban life people generally do not remain in public spaces for casual gatherings. Sidewalks, storefronts, and even front yards are seen as functional areas rather than social hubs. Americans value privacy and personal space often associating gatherings with planned events in designated areas like parks, cafes, or private homes rather than informal public spaces. The design of American public spaces often more spread out and designed for cars rather than pedestrians discourages the type of organic gatherings seen in Bangladeshi neighborhoods.
Another factor I identified that the fast-paced lifestyle in the USA means that people are usually on busy and tight schedules making it less common for them to stop and chat in front of a grocery store or engage in spontaneous conversations in public areas.
Personal Reflection
After spending 26 years in the lively public space culture of Bangladesh, I initially found the contrast in the U.S. amazing. While I have come to appreciate the structured planned interactions in American public life, I miss the spontaneity and warmth of casual gatherings that characterize Bangladeshi culture. My experience during these past three months has offered a unique perspective on how cultural values shape public spaces and their social functions. Though these cultural norms have remained stable over time, globalization is beginning to bridge the gap between East and West. Younger generations in Bangladesh are more influenced by Western lifestyles and may increasingly value personal space and privacy.
This reflection was enriched by my academic journey and the guidance of my advisor, Dr. Risa Whitson, who suggested waiting until after our class lecture on public spaces before sharing my thoughts. This delay allowed me to help my understanding and appreciate the topic through both personal observations and scholarly discussions.
Reference
Mitchell, Don. 1995. “The End of Public Space?: People’s Park, Definitions of the Public, and Democracy.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 85: 108-133.
Image Credit:
- https://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/news/g4519/best-main-streets-in-america/
- https://qz.com/india/1122129/adda-a-brief-history-of-the-bengali-fine-art-of-discussion
Hi Hossain,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. Being from Bangladesh myself, this post reminds me of my home. Particularly the mention of “Tong dokan” reminds me of an experience. I went to a tong one afternoon for tea, I couldn't help but notice how the folks there, who were largely guys, stared at me. They seemed to be wondering in silence, "Why is this girl here at a tong? “This experience reflects gendered expectations in public space back home. Despite their occasional difficulties, I really miss the vibrant vibes at tongs in Bangladesh. Now living in the United States, I have experienced totally different dynamics. Even though I enjoy American culture's emphasis on privacy and order, I occasionally miss Bangladeshi public areas' vibrant, unplanned connections.
Hi Hossain,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the way you outlined the differences between public spaces in the United States and Bangladesh. One thing that I thought of was the difference between public spaces here in Athens versus public spaces in my tiny hometown in Northern Ohio.
There are many more public spaces here in Athens compared to my hometown, shops, sidewalks, green spaces, etc. as well as people. My hometown, technically a village, is in very rural Ohio. What is not roads, homes, or locally owned businesses are streets and farmland.
Life in my hometown is much slower than the busy student life in Athens, so when people come across each other in the convenience store or the gas station, there is plenty of time for conversation. Many consist of news about friends, families, neighbors, local politics, etc.
I feel like Athens has a more busy atmosphere, with students rushing to classes, extra-curriculars, home after a long day, etc. leaving much less room for conversations and casual run-ins with friends.
I think it is super interesting to see how the use and access to adequate public space affect the kind of interactions people have with each other.
Hi Hossain,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your very interesting blog post! I really like thinking about this sort of stuff-- how the way we interact with each other is influenced by both our physical environment and social culture. This may seem somewhat tangential, but this reminds me of discussions I've seen about how American suburbia, since it is so car-centric, is designed to discourage interaction and how this is related to American politics. The individualistic design of suburbs discourages residents interacting with each other and ultimately discourages people from politically organizing with each other; it's very hard to build political movements in places like that. I think this idea could be applied to the larger individualistic tendencies of American social culture that you describe. I wonder how different American politics would be if there was more of a culture of stopping and socializing like you describe in Bangladesh? I wonder how Bangladesh politics would be different if the social culture was more individualistic like in America?