Spatial Citizenship. Understanding the challenges and redefinitions of contemporary social cohesion through the analysis of the geographies of post-migrant contentious politics

Abstract

This work explores the evolving dynamics of spatial belonging focusing on the experiences of racialized activists in Europe. Amid increased global mobility and the digital reshaping of space, many racialised individuals (with or without migratory backgrounds) face both formal exclusion (e.g., lack of citizenship) and informal exclusion (e.g., racialized marginalization despite legal status). The research investigates how such exclusions manifest through socio-spatial practices within two umbrella organizations: CoNNGI in Italy and ndo in Germany, and their local affiliates, NGI and EOTO. Employing a comparative and spatially-informed approach rooted in Henri Lefebvre’s concept of the spatial triad of perceived, conceived, and lived space, the work analyzes how these organizations claim, negotiate, and transform spaces at both local and national levels. The study contributes to four academic fields: post-migration studies, social movement studies, geography, and citizenship studies. It also proposes a methodological tool for examining intra-movement socio-spatial conflicts, bridging collective and individual experiences with spatial settings. Ultimately, the research argues that the struggle for recognition and belonging among racialized communities reshapes not only their own positionalities but also redefines the normative assumptions of broader democratic processes, revealing the socio-spatial foundations of redistributive justice and social cohesion in contemporary Italy and Germany.