Abstract:

Discussions around social cohesion, integration of immigrants or criticism of the multicultural model of a society are often very abstract, while simultaneously underpinned by some extreme examples of sociocultural conflicts. Living together as a community, sharing the same spaces and elements of (material and social) infrastructure may be difficult and may cause certain tensions, but it very rarely engenders hostility. This research aims to discuss, analyze, and theorize the notion of 'Liminality: Co-creation of Inclusive Spaces' as a spatial mechanism allowing peaceful co-existence in multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural communities and urban contexts.

The Community Design and Development course outcomes provide an overview of the methods, concept, challenges, and resources available for community design and development across various geographies and through comparative perspectives. This course explores the role of several key actors, players and groups of society engaged in community development induding but not limited to policymakers, activists, governmental and state-led agencies, non-profit agencies, NGOs, citizens,

and private sector organizations. This course will use different methods of community design through comprehensive research-led and comparative focuses. This research will act as the conceptual input for a greater research-led collaboration. The CDD input will focus on the macro scale and generate an overarching set of principles and considerations to develop a larger understanding of the politics of liminal spaces and the effects on community, integration, and cultural exchange.

Credits

This research is the outcome of a graduate elective titled Community Design and Development led by Dr. Asma Mehan and part of the Co-Production of Liminal Spaces graduate project. Taught at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX during the 2023 Spring semester, this course led to the creation of academic artides and an international exhibition at the 2023 Venice Biennale. This course and overall graduate project were co-led by Dr. Sina Mostafavi and assisted by Sarvin Eshaghi, Sepehr Vaez Afshar, Jessica Stuckemeyer, and Cole Howell in conjunction with another studio and two elective classes.