Blog

4. June 2020

Shifting b/orders in times of the pandemic

Dr. Norbert Cyrus | Dr. Peter Ulrich

In a nutshell, the measures taken to stem the Covid-19 disease consist basically in the drawing of new and the thickening of existing borders. The strategy of bordering practices, as Norbert Cyrus & Peter Ulrich summarize these interventions against the spread of the Corona virus, was pursued first time in Wuhan, China: The right to leave and enter the city area had been restricted and movements across city borders became the subject of surveillance. Also, within the city area, the citizens’ freedom of movement was strictly restricted by imposing a curfew. Moreover, access to stores and working places was only allowed under certain restrictions.

Read more
26. May 2020

„Polycontextural Spatial Arrangements“ – Eindrücke & Reflexionen der 2. Internationalen Tagung des SFB 1265

Nina Meier

Am 26./27.02.2020 fand die zweite Internationale Konferenz des SFBs unter dem Titel „Polycontextural Spatial Arrangements“ an der TU Berlin statt. Nina Meier reflektiert in ihrem Bericht die verschiedenen Perspektiven, die sich aus dem Zusammenspiel von Vorträgen, Publikumsfragen und Plenumsdiskussionen ergaben und arbeitet dabei eine Auswahl an Argumentationslinien und offener Fragen mit Blick auf das Thema der „Polykontexturalität“ heraus.

Read more
20. May 2020

Corona Multiple

Dr. Jannik Schritt

In a context of global inequality, the ontological status of the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes according to the socio-technical network into which it is integrated. Jannik Schritt discusses how the virus travels and translates around the globe in context-specific ways producing different effects and exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. In light of the context-specific transformations of the virus, the question is whether a global standardized approach of isolation and lockdown that builds on a decontextualized equivalence construction is apt to manage the pandemic.

Read more
6. May 2020

The coronavirus, new nationalisms and the limits of Second World War fantasies

Dr. Christy Kulz

In the face of the corona virus, numerous references to war and battle frame what is foremost positioned as a national challenge despite transnational cooperation. The Second World War as touchstone carries a particular relevance for Britain where heroic images of victory form a focal point of the current national discourse and conscience. Through reflecting on the current crisis, this post explores how clinging to war images connects to how the UK regards itself and, subsequently, how it perceives both Germany and the European Union.

Read more
6. May 2020

Just because we have to do it, it doesn’t mean it is right: why #stayathome should not become a moral imperative and social isolation not a habituation

Prof. Dr. Talja Blokland | Daniela Krüger | Robert Vief

Talja Blokland, Daniela Krüger and Robert Vief ask how the political measures to slow down the coronavirus reduce our opportunities for support, as they are regulating how we socialize and communicate. Drawing on representative survey results from four neighborhoods in Berlin, they show that, before the lockdown, a majority of their respondents communicated face-to-face to confront their most pressing personal challenges and did so outside of their home. They argue that reducing human contact to digital exchanges may affect our wellbeing and cannot replace meeting each other

Read more
23. April 2020

Why “Now” is an Important Moment in History: Corona and the Re-Figured Mobility of the World

The spread of coronavirus since early 2020 has put many of us at home. Suddenly, the streams of bustling mobility across the globe have stopped. In this blog post, Ayham Dalal reflects on how transportation and mobility re-figured the world. Tracing their impact in the formation of unequal and asymmetric geographies, he puts two less-visible worlds in conversation with each other: “overly connected” and “overly isolated” ones. Using his personal experience of transiting between both, the article aims to show how the global growth and expansion of mobility networks privileged some and hindered others, thus producing unequal geographies and distorted imaginaries. In this historical moment, the article addresses the impact of extensive mobility on the re-figuration of spaces and urges to revisit the potentials of dwelling as counter-practice for a more just and livable future.

Read more
23. April 2020

Stadt und Menschenansammlungen in Zeiten des Coronavirus: Anmerkungen zu Brasilien.

Robertha Barros und Paulo Victor Melo schreiben über soziale Ungleichheit in Brasilien in Zeiten der Corona-Krise. Sie plädieren dafür, die Krise als Chance zum Umverteilen und Umdenken zu nutzen.

Read more
20. April 2020

May You Live In Interesting Times

Covid19 takes a toll on everyone's life and routines, affecting the vulnerable and (to a lesser extent) even the privileged who always got around disasters in one way or another. At the level of everyday life, the spatial and temporal patterns of movement are changing, forming in their own way a pandemic choreography that reflects the societal conditions under Corona. This post by Martin Schinagl maps and reflects on these changes.

Read more