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Urban walls and virtual bridges. The impact of the internet on divided cities
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Esta investigação tem como objectivo analisar o impacto do uso da Internet em
"cidades divididas" – espaços urbanos caracterizados pela segregação e contestação
entre comunidades locais, cuja natureza da divisão depende de um conflito nacionalista.
A pesquisa usa como estudo de caso a cidade de Belfast, onde um tecido urbano
fracturado, caracterizado por artefactos defensivos e coesão social corroída -
consequência do conflito -, coexiste com um processo actual de reunificação. A nossa
premissa inicial é que, neste contexto, a Internet é uma ferramenta que pode facilitar a
criação de novos "muros" ou "pontes", entre comunidades separadas.
De forma a perceber esta problemática em toda a sua complexidade tivemos que
articular diferentes corpos de conhecimento de forma a construir um discurso de como o
espaço, as relações sociais e a Internet se interligam no contexto de uma cidade
dividida. Depois de explicitar as características que definem a “cidade dividida”,
observamos detalhadamente as características de Belfast que explicam a sua divisão e
transição pós-conflito, com ênfase particular nos programas implementados localmente
de construção da paz, que usam o conceito de Capital Social. No quadro teórico do
Capital Social, definimos os conceitos de "ponte" e "muro", considerados como factores
que promovem a reconciliação ou que incitam a divisão.
Após revisão da literatura sobre a relação entre a Internet e o Capital Social,
reconsiderando criticamente este último conceito, desenhamos uma sondagem para
estudar empiricamente a relação entre essas variáveis. A consulta foi realizada entre os
jovens de Belfast.
Usando um método misto - qualitativo e quantitativo -, apoiado por uma análise
espacial, encontramos indícios de que o uso da Internet tem uma influência dual na
transição de uma cidade dividida. De acordo com os nossos resultados, esse impacto
pode ser considerado positivo, uma vez que permite certas novas relações intercomunitárias,
apoiando a criação de espaços partilhados. Ao mesmo tempo, observou-se
um efeito negativo da Internet uma vez que esta tecnologia permite um novo tipo de
confronto que se reflecte na forma de ‘place-specific’ ciberbullying.
This research aims to analyse the impact of Internet use on “divided cities” – defined as partitioned spaces characterised by community-based social contestation and segregation, whose nature depends on a nationalistic conflict. This investigation uses as its case study the city of Belfast, where a fractured urban fabric characterised by defensive artifacts and eroded social cohesion – both consequences of conflict – coexist with a contemporary process of reunification. Our argument is that, in this context, the Internet is a tool that can enable new “walls” or “bridges” between separated communities. In order to understand the issue in its complexity, we had to articulate different bodies of knowledge to form a discourse of how space, social relationships and the Internet intertwine within the context of a divided city. After clarifying the characteristics that define the divided city, we observe in detail those features of Belfast that explain its division and post-conflict transition, focusing in particular on how the implemented programmes of peace-building use the concept of social capital. In the theoretical framework of social capital we establish the meaning of “bridge” and “wall”, considered as factors that promote reconciliation, or feed division. After going through the literature review about the relation between the Internet and social capital, critically reconsidering the concept, we designed a survey in order to empirically study the relation between those variables. The survey was conducted among the youth of Belfast. Using a qualitative-quantitative mixed method, supported by a spatial analysis, we found indications that Internet use has a mixed influence on the transition of a divided city. According to our results, this impact can be considered as positive, given that it enables certain inter-communitarian relationships, supporting the creating of shared spaces; at the same time a negative effect was observed, as this technology enables a new type of clash in the form of place-specific cyberbullying.
This research aims to analyse the impact of Internet use on “divided cities” – defined as partitioned spaces characterised by community-based social contestation and segregation, whose nature depends on a nationalistic conflict. This investigation uses as its case study the city of Belfast, where a fractured urban fabric characterised by defensive artifacts and eroded social cohesion – both consequences of conflict – coexist with a contemporary process of reunification. Our argument is that, in this context, the Internet is a tool that can enable new “walls” or “bridges” between separated communities. In order to understand the issue in its complexity, we had to articulate different bodies of knowledge to form a discourse of how space, social relationships and the Internet intertwine within the context of a divided city. After clarifying the characteristics that define the divided city, we observe in detail those features of Belfast that explain its division and post-conflict transition, focusing in particular on how the implemented programmes of peace-building use the concept of social capital. In the theoretical framework of social capital we establish the meaning of “bridge” and “wall”, considered as factors that promote reconciliation, or feed division. After going through the literature review about the relation between the Internet and social capital, critically reconsidering the concept, we designed a survey in order to empirically study the relation between those variables. The survey was conducted among the youth of Belfast. Using a qualitative-quantitative mixed method, supported by a spatial analysis, we found indications that Internet use has a mixed influence on the transition of a divided city. According to our results, this impact can be considered as positive, given that it enables certain inter-communitarian relationships, supporting the creating of shared spaces; at the same time a negative effect was observed, as this technology enables a new type of clash in the form of place-specific cyberbullying.
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Palavras-chave
Cidades divididas Internet Capital Social Conflito Segregação Divided cities Internet Social Capital Conflict, Segregation