Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
The paper investigates the relation between spatial justice and recognition. With this respect, it focuses on rhetorics of recognition, namely discourses, narratives and slogans put in place by actors who produce a territorial identity in order to be recognized in their peculiar and different characters.
Case description
The case-study employed is the Riace model, a worldwide known example of refugees and asylum seekers hosting and welcoming practice in Italy. Fieldnotes, public statements and newspaper articles were used to investigate both narratives through which Riace’s identity was produced and how this identity shaped Riace’s rhetorics of recognition within the context of a conflict between the local administration and the national government.
Discussion and evaluation
The paper shows how claims for recognition may drive towards negative outputs. Specifically, in the case of Riace, claims for diversity re-affirmed path-dependency and conditions of marginalization as a result of a depersonalised place-based approach and logics of exception.
Conclusions
Finally, the paper suggests that researchers should avoid considering diversity as a value per se in order to address spatial justice issues. Moreover, it suggests that rhetorics of recognition may help both in case of conflicting rationalities and to formulate situated ethical judgments.
Funder
Sapienza Università di Roma
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Urban Studies,Architecture,Geography, Planning and Development
Reference34 articles.
1. Agnew J (1990) Political decentralization and urban policy in Italy: from “State-Centered” to “State-Society” explanation. Policy Stud J 18(3):768–784
2. Allum PA (1973) Italy-Republic without Government?. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London
3. Arce A, Long N (2000) Anthropology, Development and modernities. Routledge, London
4. Barca F (2009) An agenda for a reformed cohesion policy. Independent report prepared at the request of Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, Bruxelles. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/archive/policy/future/pdf/report_barca_v0306.pdf
5. Bollen S (2007) Cities, nationalism, and democratization. Routledge, Oxford