Intercultural Gardens: The Use of Space by Migrants and the Practice of Respect

Abstract

The experience of intercultural gardens has developed throughout Germany during the last 15 years. Intercultural gardens are one of a number of instances of urban agriculture (Mougeot, 2005;Veenhuizen, 2006). As is often the case with urban agriculture, intercultural gardens are mostly initiated by marginalized groups and, like urban agriculture, they are a grassroots experience building on perceived local needs (Smit & Bailkey, 2006). In intercultural gardens, migrants from different countries of origin gather on a piece of land in order to garden and share common experiences around gardening and related activities. It is an exemplary case of the interrelatedness of the use of space and the practice of respect.Regarding the use of space, these intercultural gardens, bringing together individuals and families from different cultures, function as spaces of encounter and of collective action. The notion of space is apprehended here both as a geographical space that allows action and as a social space; that is, the milieu of interpersonal relations that allows social exchanges. Such a space of collective action and of encounter is decisive for migrants who are, by definition, in need of a new space of life in the country of residence. They may be blessed with a house or an apartment, but they are still in need of spaces of interaction outside of the workplace. Between the private house and the working place (should there even be one), there exists a fundamental human need for a place to interact socially and to build social capital.In order to be successfully implemented, intercultural gardens must be based on the practice of respect. They do not simply insist on tolerance, understood in its traditional liberal meaning in the sense of a passive practice of noninterference with others, rather, they require the more demanding notion of respect. New approaches to the concept of tolerance emphasize its proactive quality. Rainer Forst has recently developed a respect-based conception of tolerance which rejects the "passive" character attached traditionally to the concept of tolerance (Forst, 2003). In a similar way, Anna Elisabetta Galeotti (2010) offers a renewed definition of tolerance by associating it closely to recognition and respect. This respect-based tolerance is interesting because it adds the "active"

Ownership and Membership: Practices and Experiences of Neighbourhood Residents in the Wijsgeren Community Garden in Amsterdam

“…Moulin‐Doos () and Schermer (), for instance, discuss intercultural gardens – in Germany and Austria respectively – where people with culturally and socio‐economically different backgrounds interact and where migrants regain their self‐respect and their social inclusion and integration is improved. In this context, Aptekar () even argues that the interaction among gardeners may result in destabilisation of ‘societal hierarchies’ based on cultural and socio‐economic differences.…”

“…They can build communities through fostering social cohesion and inclusion in neighbourhoods (e.g. Kingsley & Townsend ; Moulin‐Doos ; Schermer ; Veen et al . ; McVey et al .…”

“…They can build communities through fostering social cohesion and inclusion in neighbourhoods (e.g. Kingsley & Townsend 2006;Moulin-Doos 2013;Schermer 2014;Veen et al 2016;McVey et al 2018). However, academic studies on community gardening have increasingly taken a more critical stance by also pointing to processes of social separation and exclusion (e.g.…”

Are there ‘greener’ ways of doing transitional justice? Some reflections on Srebrenica, nature and memorialisation

“…This regaining of self-respect then becomes the first step towards developing mutual respect. 87 In the year 2000, the American Friends Service Committee brought a variant of the inter- 88 The two main gardens are in Stup (central Sarajevo) and in Kula (East Sarajevo). All of the gardens are multi-ethnic and represent significant experiments in 'peacebuilding from below'.…”

Substantive and Procedural Tolerance

“…On a conceptual or substantive level, tolerance, “tends to emphasize an attitude of inclusiveness regarding diversity, especially the extent to which minority populations otherwise susceptible to discrimination are accepted in society” (Huggins and Debies-Carl 2014, p. 4). Scholars have also argued that tolerance should be conceptualized as going beyond simple toleration or a passive coexistence or noninterference with the “other.” Rather, it implies something active including actual communication and common spaces of life (Moulin-Doos 2014). Thus, tolerance is the acceptance of “foreign” beliefs and behaviors including a sense of social equality, but ranges from more abstract toleration of individuals or groups that are different to close interactions within friendship networks.…”