Together with strangers: diversity, encounter and their spatial dynamics

This research investigates sociability in public open spaces. Based on a mixed-methods approach that combines statistical mapping and in-depth ethnographic analysis, this study focusses on interactions in neighbourhoods with different population compositions. It also enquires as to how opportunities for social interaction might be impacted by the spatial context. By utilising a case study of Melbourne’s metropolitan area, this thesis examines the entanglements of space, diversity and interactions.