Stedets kulturelle diaspora. Torgallmenningen - et byrom i Bergen

Sammendrag

This article shows how an urban environment - Torgallmenningen - is affected by the global multicultural spirit of our times, and how new groups construct their belonging and make the city space their own.
This article is based on three previous studies and discusses the usage of the urban environment by ethnic minority groups. Findings from these studies suggest that members of ethnic minority groups seek each other and their own meeting places - which here are referred to as cultural territories. The urban environment - Torgallmenningen - appears as en ethnic atlas, where different groups seek to find belonging and to construct meaning. Questions may be raised as to why so many people spend so much time, energy and money in the urban environment? In this context this is seen as chosen actions and is based on an understanding of the time spent in the urban environment as chosen activity. Hanging around, chatting and watching people are typical urban behaviour patterns. It is argued that groups who use this multicultural urban environment frequently - particularly youth in heterogeneous groups - seek a discourse of harmony where differences are played down, whilst equality and harmony become more significant.