Challenging the spatial politics of the European crisis: nationed narratives and trans-local solidarities in the post-crisis conjuncture

Featherstone, D. and Karaliotas, L. (2018) Challenging the spatial politics of the European crisis: nationed narratives and trans-local solidarities in the post-crisis conjuncture. Cultural Studies, 32(2), pp. 286-307. (doi: 10.1080/09502386.2017.1354050)

Abstract

This paper explores the potential for the formation of political solidarities across the spatial divisions being intensified by dominant responses to the European crisis. In doing so it takes inspiration from Doreen Massey’s thinking around the contested terms on which space and politics are articulated and her engagement with the 2008 crisis through projects such as the Kilburn Manifesto. We argue that her book World City powerfully articulates a way of thinking about the spatial politics of a particular conjuncture. The paper traces the ways in which various political interventions in post-crisis politics have been shaped by distinctive ‘nationed’ geographical imaginaries. In particular we explore how left-wing nationed narratives impact on the discursive horizon and unpack their implications for the articulation of solidarities and emancipatory politics in the context of the ‘European Crisis’. Building on this, we reflect on how trans-local solidarities and alliances might be articulated across socio-spatial divisions and contest the decidedly uneven, racialised, gendered and classed impacts of dominant European politics. We argue that such solidarities and alliances can form a crucial intervention in challenging the dominant spatial politics of crisis and articulating left political strategies on different terms.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Karaliotas, Dr Lazaros and Featherstone, Dr David
• Authors: Featherstone, D., and Karaliotas, L.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Journal Name: Cultural Studies
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0950-2386
• ISSN (Online): 1466-4348
• Published Online: 07 August 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Cultural Studies 32(2):286-307
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy