Strong, Weak and Invisible Ties: A Relational Perspective on Urban Coexistence

Abstract

The dichotomy between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ ties is a common theme in sociological scholarship dealing with urban space, yet urban ethnographers have long been describing the prevalence of impersonal relations. Such relations can be described as fleeting encounters between complete strangers, while others – as in the case of ‘nodding’ relationships – are durable and have yet to be conceptualised. The notion of ‘invisible ties’ is proposed as a conceptual handle for studying typical urban relations that complement the established notions of strong and weak ties. Through an empirical study of four residential buildings in Geneva (Switzerland), these ‘invisible ties’ are revealed by means of a systemic approach to social urban life, from which two key actors emerge: ‘socialisers’ and ‘figures’. This research addresses gaps in the literature on interpersonal relations in urban contexts by focusing on the interplay between different types of social ties, encompassing the whole continuum from anonymity to intimacy.

Neighboring in the Time of Coronavirus? Paying Civil Attention While Walking the Neighborhood

“…To be sure, neighborhoods represent familiar environments in which relationships with neighbors can span the spectrum of social ties, from strong to weak to invisible (Felder, 2020) or, put differently, from thick to thin. Neighbors can be close friends, acquaintances, or nominal individuals whom we fail to see at all (Felder, 2020;Rosenblum, 2016). They can also be negative or hostile.…”

“…Perhaps not surprisingly, then, the longing for connection, familiarity, and security during an extraordinary generational event like the current global pandemic drives people to interact with familiar strangers in their neighborhoods (Paulos & Goodman, 2004), the people closest and most accessible to them geographically. Far from being trivial, the familiar strangers in our neighborhoods provide a sense of familiarity, establish our geographic surroundings as "comfort zones" (Blokland & Nast, 2014, p. 1147, and contribute to a greater sense of security (Felder, 2020). Thickening thin neighborhood ties-that is, strengthening our weak and invisible neighborhood connectionsallows neighbors to build their stockpiles of social capital to facilitate access to economic and informational resources (Gil-Rivas & Kilmer, 2016) as neighbors make themselves available to help if needed.…”

Reading the changing dynamic of urban social distances during the COVID-19 pandemic via Twitter

“…A weak tie might constitute as a handshake, a nod, a smile of recognition, or a small-talk. Furthermore, even the absent tie does not always constitute an absolute lack of connection (Felder 2020). Citizens might feel a familiarity with one another due to common values and customs.…”

Between Hospitality and Inhospitality: The Janus-Faced 'Arrival Infrastructure'

“…Infrastructure can thus be virtual, as in the case of Facebook pages through which newcomers exchange advice and information. The smartphone is not only an audiovisual window and door to their former 'homes' (Guérin, 2019), it is also an essential arrival device, compensating for, as is the case for tourists but in a more vital way, the lack of 'familiarity' (Felder, 2020;Thévenot, 2007). It helps newcomers with 'spatial integration,' what Buhr defines as learning "where to find shelter, soup kitchens or to distinguish safe areas from no-go zones" (Buhr, 2018, p. 3).…”