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ThisÌýpaper looks at the city of difference (Fincher and Jacobs 1998) as a culturalÌýspace full ofÌýunknowns and uncertainties, risks and opportunities. While urbanÌýuncertainties represent aÌýcondition associated with city life, their culturalÌýand social meanings remain contested. ThisÌýpaper adopts a communicationÌýperspective in exploring some of the ways in which urbanÌýdwellers makes senseÌýof these uncertainties from the street level. City as a cultural space isÌýlargely composed by neighbourhoods where people of different social andÌýculturalÌýbackgrounds co-occupy urban space, without engaging in any apparentÌýconflict. How is thisÌýrelative harmony achieved and do urban dwellers livingÌýnext to each other manage civilityÌýthrough indifference (Bailey 1996)? Is civilityÌýdependent on separation and, if so, doesÌýseparation reflect a way to manageÌýuncertainty? Does togetherness ever replace separation andÌýif so, under whatÌýcircumstances? What will be argued, is that separation partly represents aÌýwayÌýto sustain stability and a sense of ontological security among those occupyingÌýculturallyÌýdiverse urban domains. Togetherness only emerges momentarily,Ìýraising questions on whetherÌýit is ever possible, even desired, as a moreÌýsustained condition. Urban communication bothÌýreflects and plays a constitutiveÌýrole in the management of the always fragile balance betweenÌýtogetherness andÌýseparation. As will be discussed while drawing from empirical evidence fromÌýLondon, both separation and togetherness are organised and enabled throughÌýcomplexÌýcommunication systems that help sustain, manage and occasionally crossÌýboundaries.ÌýImportantly, the discussion does not privilege togethernessÌývis-à-vis separation, neither does itÌýmake assumptions about separationÌýpresenting evidence of urban segregation. Instead, theÌýpaper aims to create aÌýspace for reflection on the internal contradictions and challengesÌýassociatedÌýwith politics of conviviality in cities of difference (Amin 2012; Gilroy 2004).ÌýThisÌýpolitics can often follow unpredictable routes and lead to a range ofÌýcultural outcomes in theÌýcity of difference.

¶Ù²¹³Ù±ð:Ìý26th of March
Place: Minerva, ¹û¶³´«Ã½
Lecture & workshop schedule:
9.00 - 10.30 Guest speaker PhD Myria Georgiou
10.30 - 10.45 coffee break
10.45 - 11.45 PhD student presentation/discussion (Jenny Janssdotter/Ilkin Mehrabov)
11.45 - 12.45 lunch
13.00Ìý- 14.30 PhD student presentation/discussion (Raul Ferrer/ Reinhard Handler)

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