Abstract
The level of attachment that people experience in relation to their living environment is constructed through the process of giving meaning to the physical space that they inhabit. This process can be uncovered through discourse analysis by observing the way in which people speak about the place in question. This method unveils the persuasive use of discursive strategies to
support certain statements, and the use of Membership Categorization Devices (MCDs): categorization systems that are applied to identify groups of people in the same social setting. This study investigated how inhabitants of the Oosterparkwijk — a neighborhood in the Dutch city of Groningen — speak about communication and social life in their everyday surroundings in order to
construct the concept of ‘the neighborhood’. The study was carried out in order to advise the municipality of Groningen and the public organizations in the Oosterparkwijk about the communication between them and the inhabitants. Twenty-five qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with inhabitants in order to investigate the themes they initiate and the ways in which they construct ‘the neighborhood’ as a social place. The analysis shows that several
repertoires were used in multiple interviews. For example, inhabitants made it clear that they do not always think in terms of their neighborhood. Many people feel attachment to their own street and no farther. Still, the Oosterparkwijk is characterized as a neighborhood that separates itself from other places by the social contact amongst inhabitants. This contributes significantly to the
high level of place attachment. In the interviews, participants constructed two categories belonging to the MCD ‘inhabitant of the Oosterparkwijk’: original and new inhabitants. While the original inhabitants that were born in the neighborhood are often discussed in a bad light, they also seem to possess a certain sense of authenticity. Therefore, they tend to be referred to as the ‘true’ inhabitants of the Oosterparkwijk. The implication that new inhabitants lack authenticity could be an explanation for the friction that exists between these two categories. Still, negative characterizations are often juxtaposed with the many positive developments in the neighborhood: new housing projects and the influx of new people lead to the designation of the Oosterparkwijk as a resurgent neighborhood.
support certain statements, and the use of Membership Categorization Devices (MCDs): categorization systems that are applied to identify groups of people in the same social setting. This study investigated how inhabitants of the Oosterparkwijk — a neighborhood in the Dutch city of Groningen — speak about communication and social life in their everyday surroundings in order to
construct the concept of ‘the neighborhood’. The study was carried out in order to advise the municipality of Groningen and the public organizations in the Oosterparkwijk about the communication between them and the inhabitants. Twenty-five qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with inhabitants in order to investigate the themes they initiate and the ways in which they construct ‘the neighborhood’ as a social place. The analysis shows that several
repertoires were used in multiple interviews. For example, inhabitants made it clear that they do not always think in terms of their neighborhood. Many people feel attachment to their own street and no farther. Still, the Oosterparkwijk is characterized as a neighborhood that separates itself from other places by the social contact amongst inhabitants. This contributes significantly to the
high level of place attachment. In the interviews, participants constructed two categories belonging to the MCD ‘inhabitant of the Oosterparkwijk’: original and new inhabitants. While the original inhabitants that were born in the neighborhood are often discussed in a bad light, they also seem to possess a certain sense of authenticity. Therefore, they tend to be referred to as the ‘true’ inhabitants of the Oosterparkwijk. The implication that new inhabitants lack authenticity could be an explanation for the friction that exists between these two categories. Still, negative characterizations are often juxtaposed with the many positive developments in the neighborhood: new housing projects and the influx of new people lead to the designation of the Oosterparkwijk as a resurgent neighborhood.
| Original language | Dutch |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Science Shops RUG |
| Number of pages | 72 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec-2019 |