Narrating Divided Cities:
The Theoretical and Methodological Framework
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Publication date: 2021-12-14
Polish Sociological Review 2021;216(4):517-532
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The notion of narratives can be regarded as a significant tool to map the complex means by which social
relations are organized, made meaningful, and maintained (Somers, 1994). On the borders of Europe, social
relations are often constructed across national dividing lines. Especially now, given the social consequences of
COVID-19, which include re-bordering processes in Europe, the question of borders and bordering is in the
spotlight. Against this backdrop, this article elaborates on the concept of narratives, which may be crucial for
understanding the complex processes of deconstructing and reconstructing state borders and social boundaries.
By focusing on three types of narratives—individual, public, and spatial—we apply the narrative approach to
exploring divided cities and propose an analytical model that could contribute to an understanding of the processes
occurring in border cities and could thus broaden the field of studies on borders and space.
FUNDING
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, grant number UMO/2018/29/B/HS6/00258.