Sites of Social Centrality and Segregation: Lefebvre in Belfast, a “Divided City”

Abstract

This paper applies Henri Lefebvre's ideas on participatory democracy and spatial politics to the context of "divided cities", a milieu often overlooked by scholars of Lefebvre. It considers, via Lefebvre, how the heterogeneous and contradictory statist methods to deal with ethno-national violence in Belfast have in effect increased segregated space. State-led approaches to public space as part of conflict transformation strategies appear contradictory, including attempts to "normalize" the city through inward capital investment and cultural regeneration, encouraging cosmopolitan notions of inclusive "civic identity", and reinforcing segregation to contain violence. These processes have done little to challenge sectarianism. However, as Lefebvre suggests that dominant representations of space cannot be imposed without resistance, this paper considers the alternative strategies of a disparate range of groups in Belfast. These groups have formed cross-cleavage networks to develop ritualized street performances which challenge the programming of public space for segregation.

Segregated Networks in the City

“…See Portugali et al (1994),Singh et al (2009), DeKoning (2009), Maly (2009), Nagle (2009 andVaughan and Geddes (2009), among many others. 2…”

Plying Nostrums or Exporting Peace Models? An Examination of the Contradictions Between the Northern Irish Peace Process and International Peacebuilding

“…73 In this way, the region has witnessed the growth of a strong trade union movement dedicated to promoting class based interests as opposed to sectarian Downloaded by [Colorado College] at 17:37 01 December 2014 ones, and a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender social movement, which has mobilized to advance intercultural relations and tolerance. 74 Another strand to the relationship between civil society and peace concerns the state funded community development sector, which particularly since the early 1980s has sought to encourage harmonious relations between the groups. The logic here is that community development work would encourage each group to gain self-confidence as a precondition to the "coming-together of community groups across the sectarian divide to agitate on issues of common interest and concern."…”

Whose Right toJerusalem?

“…national, ethnic, economic) and sovereignty disputes in which equally valid yet diametrically opposed positions are voiced (Kotek, ). Recently the idea that the RTC concept could be applied to the context of divided cites has been postulated (Khamaisi, ; Nagle, ), but has not been sufficiently explored.…”