Funkcje miast i ich subkiektywna percepcja (na przykładzie regionu śląskiego)

Abstract

The article presents research on the subjective perception of city functions. The research has been conducted among students from the voivodship (province) of Silesia by employing the narrative method. Based on the submitted answers, 22 functions which the city can serve with respect to human needs have been identified. It followed from the answers that the city is predominantly viewed as: a place to live, study and work as well as a place for meetings, entertainment and cultural events. The answers also indicated functions related to a sense of identity and attachment to a particular place. The city was per-ceived as: a “little home-land”, the family home, place on Earth, a place for development, upbringing, growing up and going out into the world. The negative functions of the city related to social exclusion, poverty and unemployment were also indicated. Often the city was perceived as having no function at all.