Projekter pr. år
Abstract
This article studies the violent politics of stigmatisation and erasure of nationalist urban infrastructure. In general, urban infrastructure is a mechanism of state power. But, through the case of the imposing presence of Turkish nationalist infrastructure in the Kurdish city Diyarbakir, it demonstrates that when tied to an antagonistic nationalist political project, this infrastructure is often purposefully built to violently cleanse urban spaces of the national “other”. Be it a statue, a mural or a picture of a nationalist leader – this infrastructure is incapable of inflicting physical pain. Nonetheless, its violence is symbolic and meant to have a real effect on Diyarbakir’s Kurds’ ability and willingness to identify as Kurds. That said, violence does not entirely inform the spatial experience of those targeted by this nationalist infrastructure. The article demonstrates that Kurdish residents also found ways of remaining unaffected, even treating the infrastructure laden with Turkish nationalist iconography as a reminder of their own Kurdish identity. This article thus expands our understanding of what nationalist infrastructure does. It may be designed to be violent. However, it also reveals itself to be a site of contestation – equally inspiring the persistence of the counter-narrative of the national “other”.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
---|---|
Tidsskrift | Politics |
Vol/bind | 44 |
Udgave nummer | 1 |
Sider (fra-til) | 102-118 |
Antal sider | 17 |
ISSN | 0263-3957 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - feb. 2024 |
Emneord
- erasure
- infrastructure
- violence
- nationalism
- Turkey
- Kurdistan
Projekter
- 2 Afsluttet
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Smart Cities and Urban Citizenship
Rasmussen, J. (Projektleder), Sen, S. (Projektdeltager) & Kimari, W. (Projektdeltager)
01/10/2021 → 31/12/2024
Projekter: Projekt › Forskning
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The Land and Us: Exploring Contested Landscapes and Identity Formation in the West Bank
Sen, S. (Projektdeltager)
18/07/2015 → 31/03/2019
Projekter: Projekt › Forskning
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Seeing the state through the city - developing an urban lens on governance in the Middle East
Sen, S. (Deltager)
17 jun. 2024 → 18 jun. 2024Aktivitet: Deltagelse i eller arrangering af en begivenhed › Deltagelse i workshop, seminar og kursus
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Aesthetics and Semiotics in War, Colonialism, and Critical Inquiry (Roundtable, ISA 2024)
Sen, S. (Oplægsholder)
5 apr. 2024Aktivitet: Tale eller præsentation › Foredrag og mundtlige bidrag