L’espace privé

Abstract

The difference in meaning between the French word “espace” or space and the German term “Raum” as well as the expressions “espace privé” (private space) and “Privatraum” (or "der privateRaum") demonstrate that there is a difference in the realities referred to. As in any psycho-social human reality this depends on periods in time and dynamics specific to each given configuration in human relations. In other words, one can only speak of “private space” in the context of the development of a social norm in behaviour and a specific form of awareness. It would be more appropriate to reformulate the problem in terms of the “privatisation” of certain spheres of activity and norms in behaviour and awareness of human beings. Thus, there is considerable evidence of a long diachronic process of “civilisation”; for example, the evolution, as from the beginning of the 16th century, of ways of sleeping, moving towards an increasing privatisation/individualisation or the rise in the privatisation of toilets. In conclusion, the observation of the rituals of invitations to London and to Paris encourages consideration of the cultural differences inherent to this process.

Keywords

• history
• sociology
• configuration
• civilisation process
• privatization