INTERSECTIONALITY AND THE CITY

Article

With Berlin based examples: CitizensLab, FeministPark, Think SI3, Decolonial Tours

Article written by Master Degree Student Luigia Armillotta.

The aim of this article is to analyze how the concept of intersectionality can (and should) be applied within the city in its broadest sense. Starting from literature’s contributions concerning feminisms, intersectionality, and urban studies, the article will propose an analysis and identification of some good practices and potential role models implemented by actors operating in Berlin urban context in various fields, seeking to highlight the major challenges and critical issues.

CitizensLab team Alice Priori and Ziada Korp offered their perspectives on the topic of intersectionality across Berlin spaces and collectives.

An Intersectional Caring City

The City: as a body of multiple subjectivities, in continuous change, in a process of continuous negotiation between groups and individuals, characterized by power dynamics that are reflected in the relationships between groups.  The city is in constant negotiation with otherness.

Intersectionality: the differences of race, gender and class overlap and combine, determining interdependent systems of discrimination or privilege.

Spatial intersectionality and transformative justice: The application of spatial intersectionality and transformative justice in urban planning offers a framework to extend the work and approach of radical and insurgent planning and conceptualisations of the ‘just city’ with a necessary focus on the intersections of oppression.

The deconstruction of those systems of domination and discrimination through an approach based on care, solidarity and the recognition of otherness allows us to refill the city with new meanings, symbols and ways of being together. Building an inclusive and caring public space need a participatory approach which must involve different actors coming from several fields, such as local civil society, public institutions, private actors, research and development institutions (i.e. University): only through a horizontal and bottom-up analysis and creative process, it would be possible to shape the intersectional caring city.

Article, written by Luigia Armillotta

Read more