TY - JOUR

T1 - Suburban socialities

T2 - Between everyday life and urban leisure space in the metropolitan region

AU - Oldrup, Helene Hjorth

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Suburban and residential areas have often been associated with everyday, routine and family relations, and this article explores how everyday life and sociality are changing in suburban areas in the context of what is variously called the post-industrial and borderless city. The article suggests that such areas can be seen as under-appreciated in our evaluation of what constitutes the quality of city life. The article develops a social practice perspective drawing on Goffman, and is based on empirical work carried out in two newly-built suburban areas in greater Copenhagen. Approximately twenty residents from young families were interviewed and asked to take photos. These residents all had middleclass, but different educational backgrounds. The analysis shows that residents want to maintain a sense of the city, seeking different ways of doing so, and hence continuing to being cosmopolitan. At the same time, sociality, relations to others and personal boundary-setting become an issue. The analysis shows how personal boundaries are negotiated, challenged and renegotiated, differing over time and at different spatial scales.

AB - Suburban and residential areas have often been associated with everyday, routine and family relations, and this article explores how everyday life and sociality are changing in suburban areas in the context of what is variously called the post-industrial and borderless city. The article suggests that such areas can be seen as under-appreciated in our evaluation of what constitutes the quality of city life. The article develops a social practice perspective drawing on Goffman, and is based on empirical work carried out in two newly-built suburban areas in greater Copenhagen. Approximately twenty residents from young families were interviewed and asked to take photos. These residents all had middleclass, but different educational backgrounds. The analysis shows that residents want to maintain a sense of the city, seeking different ways of doing so, and hence continuing to being cosmopolitan. At the same time, sociality, relations to others and personal boundary-setting become an issue. The analysis shows how personal boundaries are negotiated, challenged and renegotiated, differing over time and at different spatial scales.

U2 - 10.2752/174063109X12462745321381

DO - 10.2752/174063109X12462745321381

M3 - Journal article

VL - 6

SP - 311

EP - 332

JO - Home Cultures

JF - Home Cultures

SN - 1740-6315

IS - 3

ER -