THE IMAGINARY OF URBAN YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN HEREDIA: AN APPROACH FROM THEIR SOCIO- SPATIAL PRACTICES

Abstract

doi: 10.12957/geouerj.2016.22300

This article shows the results of a study about how young people in the city of Heredia construct different urban imaginaries along their biographical itinerary. The objective is to understand the socio-spatial practices that recreate the urban imaginaries, shaping the subjective construction of the city. The ultimate goal is to establish the relationship between urban transformations and the sense of place (commitment and sense of belonging). The data were collected through life stories to young people, mostly with university studies, between 20 and 30 years old, living in the city of Heredia, during April 2015. Based on the data obtained, four imaginary categories are proposed: heritage imaginary (historical-affective space), imaginary coffee plantation (productive-agrarian space), imaginary commercial (business transactions space) and imaginary of insecurity (urban mobilization space). This article seeks to establish a methodology to understand the urban imaginaries construction and to promote its utilization as a necessary tool in planning processes as well as in the definition of social policies.