FRAGMENTATION OF THE CITY AS A SOURCE OF SOCIAL TENSION IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

This article explores social fragmentation as a source of social tension in urban environments through a multidisciplinary lens-philosophy, urban studies, sociology, behavioral science, anthropology, and neuroscience. The theoretical framework is grounded in the works of Henri Lefebvre, Jane Jacobs, Bryan Irwin, and other scholars of urban studies. The article proposes a comprehensive understanding of fragmentation across four interrelated dimensions.The first and central dimension is social fragmentation itself – the weakening of interpersonal ties and the blurring of group identities, which is particularly pronounced in large urban environments compared to rural settings. The second dimension is functional fragmentation, primarily caused by modernist approaches to urban planning, especially the division of cities into isolated functional zones, which undermines social interaction and reduces diversity. The third is spatial fragmentation, manifesting as physical ruptures in the urban fabric through physical and visual barriers, non-inclusive development, and empty in-between zones that hinder mobility and connectivity. The fourth dimension concerns human disconnection from nature, linked to a lack of green spaces, sensory overload, and the psychological effects of densely urbanized environments, which especially impact vulnerable social groups.The aim of the article is to develop a theoretical framework for a holistic analysis of the prerequisites for social tension and potential intergroup conflicts in urban settings. The proposed approach may serve as a basis for identifying new strategies of spatial organization focused on social cohesion, inclusivity, and the restoration of connections in the city.This study emphasizes the need to advance scientific approaches and calls for the development of new theoretical models for analyzing social fragmentation in cities across the following dimensions: social, functional, spatial, and comparatively anthropogenic–natural.