GOALS

FRINGE explores the city margins as well as the relationship between urban culture and non-normative sexualities and gender identities, disabilities, and marginalized nationalities and ethnicities in the urban context. Our activities do not focus on specific cities. Instead, they are oriented toward the challenges that arise when exploring urban imaginaries at the intersections of these peripheral spheres of alterity.

We also aim to reflect on research practices that are mindful of the politics of unequal resources and disparities in knowledge accessibility.

These four points are central to the Network aims and discussions:

To consolidate interdisciplinary methodological interventions that address urban imaginaries from critical intersectional perspectives. How do we, as researchers, identify and navigate the challenges arising from these perspectives and methods?
To give visibility to narratives from subjects who inhabit the margins, with a sensitivity to the different dimensions of power, privilege and discrimination. How do these narratives challenge and shape a sense of place within the urban context?
To invigorate urban narratives that cultural canons have traditionally regarded as peripheral. These include non-mimetic literatures, comic books, poetry slams, street art, drag shows, fanzines, urban pop and rap, among many others. We seek to foster greater recognition of these cultural imaginaries within both the academic community and the general public, as well as among cultural institutions.
To focus on spatial peripheries, neglected or overlooked geographical areas often inhabited by communities facing exclusion from representation.