Spatialities of conflict : identity and exclusion in Jerusalem and Johannesburg

Abstract

Many cities the world round are known as sites of conflict. They have historically excluded portions of their populations through modification of the physical form of the city, among other mechanisms. These physical forms remain after the policies that formalized the conflict are overwritten, creating a residue of conflict. This thesis seeks to determine how the exclusion perpetuated by urban form alters the experience of the city through examination of individual perceptions of Jerusalem and Johannesburg. The two case studies have vastly different histories and current conditions, but each provides a window into a different portion of the process of shaping a city through exclusion. Cognitive mapping is the main mechanism for analysis, and it illuminates subtle differences in conceptualizations and perceptions of the two cities among different demographics. By examining conflict through the lens of the individual, finite recommendations can be made for organizations wishing to bring together multiple demographics in such a context of exclusion.