The Politics of Belonging in the Himalayas: Local Attachments and Boundary Dynamics

Indigenous activism in Bangladesh: translocal spaces and shifting constellations of belonging

“…A concept of 'belonging' helps us to 'explore the shifting character of borders and frontiers, imagined or real, as well as the possibilities of boundary-crossing, boundary-shifting, and boundary-blurring'. 61 These authors further remark that, according to the facets of the notion of belonging, as it can be translated into the German language, a distinction between two dimensions of belonging should be made. On the one hand, 'Zugehörigkeit' denotes an individual belonging to a collective, on the other hand, 'Zusammengehörigkeit' highlights 'togetherness'.…”

Locating Leisure and Belonging in Metro Manila: From Hyper-conditioned Environments to Public Green Spaces

“…By encouraging or discouraging certain forms of social interaction, ideology and facilitating sociability, spaces of leisure greatly affect one’s sense of belonging (Glover, 2017; Glover & Parry, 2008). Belonging is experienced in at least three ways: through perceptions and performances of commonality; a sense of mutuality and collective allegiance; material and immaterial attachments and a sense of entitlement (Pfaff-Czarnecka, 2013; Pfaff-Czarnecka & Toffin, 2011). Commonality, expressed as identity, includes recognition of ‘us and them’ distinctions and common-knowledge practices and explains how individuals and groups know who does and does not belong.…”

“…As such, malls offer urban residents a material setting that is in sharp contrast with the outside world: far removed from heavy traffic, air pollution and overall visual and acoustic noise. Thus, in terms of resource use (e.g., energy intensive lighting and cooling), lifestyles (e.g., disposables and packaging, fast-food consumption, artificially cooled air, reduced physical activity), and because they only cater to a specific class of residents (middle class or elite), malls are problematic in creating a sense of belonging, which is defined as the sharing of values, networks and practices, finding one’s place and forging togetherness (Pfaff-Czarnecka & Toffin, 2011).…”

Walking with Lina in Zamora

“…The expression la ei also intimates a certain distancing both socially and spatially from 'them'. The example provided suggests that, although corporeally located within 'here' (Zamora), Lina affirms her belonging to 'there' (Rotoieni) articulated through the expression la noi which reveals the understanding of belonging as an 'emotionally charged social location' (Toffin and Pfaff-Czarnecka, 2014: 3). By saying la noi Lina self-identifies with 'us Romanians' from Rotoieni/Moldavia, thus articulating togetherness based on her identification with Romanianness.…”