John Dixon: Captive Geographies: Places, Identities and the ‘Time-Geography’ of Sectarian Segregation in Belfast

Desegregation is a process through which members of formerly separated groups are brought together, often through the removal of institutional barriers to interaction. Two recurring arguments have been presented in favour of desegregation. The first holds that it promotes intergroup harmony and the reduction of prejudice; the second that it promotes social justice and equality. Exploring this theme, John Dixon discusses the role of everyday mobility practices and choices in sustaining ‘activity space’ segregation in the historically divided city of Belfast over 20 years after the end of ‘The Troubles’.

Key Readings:

Dixon, J; Tredoux, C; Davies, G; Huck, J; Hocking, B; Sturgeon, B; Whyatt, D; Jarman, N and Bryan, D. (2020). Parallel lives: Intergroup contact, threat and the segregation of everyday activity spaces. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 118, 457-480.

Davies, G; Dixon, J; Tredoux, C G.; Whyatt, J. D; Huck, Jonny J.; Sturgeon, B; Hocking, B T.; Jarman, N and Bryan, D (2019). Networks of (Dis)connection: Mobility Practices, Tertiary Streets and Sectarian Divisions in North Belfast. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 109(6) pp. 1729–1747.

Hocking, B., Sturgeon, B., Dixon, J., Jarman, N., Bryan, D., Huck, J., Whyatt, D., & Davies, G. (2019). Place-identity and urban policy: Sharing leisure spaces in the ‘Post-conflict’ city. In R. Piazza (Ed.), Discourses of identity in liminal places and spaces (pp.166-192). London: Routledge.