Coexisting in the divided city : the differences made by shared public spaces to cross-community relations in Jerusalem, Belfast and Brussels

THESIS 11136This thesis aims to determine whether shared public spaces enhance the level and quality of cross-community relations in divided cities such as Jerusalem, Belfast and Brussels; and what differences such spaces can make to intergroup relations in contested cities. Research therefore consisted of a selection of three different types of shared public spaces ? an open area, a park and a shopping centre ? in the three cities of Jerusalem, Belfast and Brussels. Methodology-wise, a combination of observation, documentary research and semi-structured interviews was carried out in the three case study cities in order to explore the daily use of shared public spaces. As regards the theoretical basis of the thesis, the intergroup contact theory ? which posits that more contact leads to less prejudice ? was identified as most relevant for the study of coexistence and intergroup relations in specific spaces within divided cities. However, certain weaknesses of the contact hypothesis perspective were revealed, leading to its combination with notions from Pierre Bourdieu and Michel Foucault drawing more focus on certain key aspects including society, power relations, discourse and domination ? all crucial to study the use of public space in a contested city. The selection of the three cities was based on the interest in comparing different contexts of internal conflict, and how such variations may influence the use of space and intergroup relations in the city. Cities experiencing different levels of intergroup conflict were thus chosen ? Jerusalem, with an ongoing occasionally violent conflict, Belfast with an ongoing peace process (post-conflict), and Brussels with an ongoing non-violent conflict. By analysing the same types of spaces in three different cities, this study hopes to provide further understanding of the importance of wider contexts but also the particularity of the urban environment when attempting to implement conflict transformation efforts in divided cities. Research in Jerusalem revealed that only limited levels of cross-community interaction occurred in shared public spaces; leading to the conclusion that within the wider context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shared spaces in the city are not expected to make any differences or improvements to intergroup relations. Yet research findings also showed that the selected shared spaces were used on average by both Israelis and Palestinians in a neutral and non-confrontational manner. Therefore the use of shared public spaces during the period of field research led to peaceful coexistence between the different communities in Jerusalem. Research findings in Belfast also revealed minimal levels of intergroup contact between individuals using shared public spaces in the city centre. However, more cross-community interaction was observed during specific events taking place within the selected spaces which were specifically destined towards bringing the Catholic and Protestant communities closer together. This led to the conclusion that in the specific context of post-conflict Belfast, where dominant political discourses are increasingly underlining the necessity for shared spaces, shared public spaces can occasionally make a minimal effect on intergroup relations in the city. Research in Brussels showed again that only limited forms of cross-community interaction occurred within the selected shared spaces. Despite the absence of violence between the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities in the city, Belgium is nevertheless a deeply divided society where intergroup contact is rare. While the context is void of serious conflict, the current political situation may be described as one where the two linguistic communities are drifting further apart, with no interest or desire to come closer. Brussels remains the only bilingual region, where members of both linguistic communities live in close proximity. At the very least, the sharing of space in the capital is therefore understood as important for maintaining intergroup relations in the country. Following the comparative study and analysis of the research findings in the three cities, the thesis argues that the presence of shared public spaces in divided cities generally does not enhance levels of cross-community contact; at least not in a systematic manner. However, these spaces do offer the possibility for increased interaction between different communities who may rarely come across each other. Shared public spaces are therefore not believed to make any notable or short-term differences to intergroup relations in Jerusalem, Belfast and Brussels. Yet their value in normalising diversity and exposure to other community should be acknowledged. This thesis therefore concludes that on a longer term basis, shared spaces may be somewhat beneficial to intergroup relations in divided cities