Sociological Intervention as a Reaction to the Crisis of the City: Public Consultation in Warsaw

The city as a form of spatial and social organization was in deep crisis for last years. Now in Poland we deal rather with the renaissance of urbanity. Increasing activity of social movements and the growing importance of civic participation are the most important evidence of this process. This chapter is about the role that public consultation on spatial planning can play in urban policy. The analysis is based on a case study of public consultations conducted with usage of active and innovative approaches. Authors describe the potential of such sociological intervention in solving the crisis of urban communities.