(De)Constructing Stigmas

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(De) Constructing Stigmas North Side Stories:

Concepts and Analysis Studio

Two-day Workshop in Brussels North TEAM Anshu Ahuja Cita Cant Wendy Chavez Amina Kaskar Jasmien Verschueren Shauni Marchand Maria Skordouli

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Social experiment: A young girl shaking the hand of the ‘I am Muslim’ actor on the staircase in front of the station.

what is the project about?

The term stigmatisation, as looked at in this project, includes not only social identities, but also marks a strict spatial order. In other words, the public space that exists in areas where these specific ‘stigmatised’ individuals occupy, gradually separates itself from the rest of the city and is marked as bounded region or territory.

We are interested in re-navigating these excluded regions to more inclusive, interdependent areas in which communication and dialogue can exists, enabling the deconstruction of stigmas.

“I am Human” is a social experiment, using the notion of the thresholds as a physical, as well symbolic medium for dialogue to take place. The symbolic threshold is a space that exists or is created between different ‘’worlds’’ or communities as a point of overlap and coexistence. Our aim is to temporarily create a temporary ‘threshold’ in the span of one day at the entrance steps at the North Station in Brussels. The steps serve as a stage for social performances with various networks of everyday practices transforming the space into a theatre of encounters. This is made visible at certain periods of the day when certain key characters utilise the space i.e. at 16:00 the soldiers patrol the stairs, while a beggar and her child sit in the corner holding out a paper cup and a busker plays his guitar to the same three tunes everyday.

In this sense, passing through these thresholds, as an act, symbolises entering into the realm of ‘otherness’. This reveals an invisible network of ‘’turning points’’, where ‘otherness’ can emerge, not only as a threat, but also as a possibility for interaction.

Social performance at the station

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The site for our experiment serves as a physical threshold between the public square and the train station. In addition, all the relevant stakeholders occupy this space at the same time, contributing to the spaces contingent identity.

Research before the social experiment. Film stills showing the natural everyday scene at the station, one-day before our experiment; policemen arresting two suspected criminals, a busker playing the guitar, several beggars sitting on the steps and many commuters going and leaving the station. The stills also showed us how commuters use the stairs, which areas are the busiest i.e. the sides and which are less used i.e. the centre. .

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Through our experiment, we wanted to create new spatial articulations; a symbolic threshold; a mediated space that could relate and moderate the differences. Hence, instead of facing ‘otherness’ as clearly marked in the space, people are encouraged to cross boundaries and re-invent the in-between spaces of interaction.

The symbolic passage at the stairway was realised in a non-linear way (as expected), which forced people to change directions and speed and eventually slow down.

This new perception of space created a different urban experience and as a result enabled a new meaning to the crossing. During the experiment we had to adapt to the fluctuating flow of people; especially during peak hours. We manipulated the natural flow of people by positioning our bodies in certain ways as to assist in our experiment but not to create an obstruction to commuters using the stairs.

Reflecting on our process, we are confident that we managed to create a threshold space, even i it was for just one hour during the day. The social meaning of the station’s stairway was reinvented and an informal theatre of encounters took place giving it a new identity. It was a reassurance to our hypothesis, that thresholds serve as a constantly moving network of interplays between people and space. Different spatial perceptions transform and create different urban experiences, stimulating a necessary socially porous-city.

We experienced the gradual process of transforming space into an unexpected stage of interaction. Further continuing with the experiment, the new mediated space enabled the deconstruction of our prefixed “bounded regions” (marked with red fabric and our labelled stigmatised groups). This was not done by us, but by the people themselves. We were merely the triggers. Interacting with “the refugee”, “the drug addict”, “the prostitute”, proved that these stigmas are indeed conceptually constructed identities leading to mental borders between humans.

Thanks to this experiment we realised that the city consists of multiple networks of turning points where ‘otherness’ can emerge, destroying boundaries and opening future possibilities for a cohesive society. Such hybrid-porous spaces allow osmosis of experiences and the reclaiming of public space as a place for social and urban transformation.

Actor portraying a drug addict outside the North Station “I am a drug addict - shake my hand”

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Urban myths & “informal stories” “Behind the station is dangerous”, “my wallet was stolen in the station”, “if someone tries to steal your handbag, just give it to them” and “ethnic people or migrants are dangerous”.

Construction of stigmas Photograph by Katarzyna Morton showing the refugees in Maximilian Park; the refugees are a recent example of how certain populations are stigmatised in Brussels North

Many of the issues that relate to safety and comfort of Brussels North are constructed perceptions created through second-hand stories told about certain spaces.

Mental Borders These perceptions creates mental borders towards different people, communities and spaces.

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Physical borders & “territories” An attitude of resistance towards certain people or spaces stops people from going to certain areas or creating certain territories in which they restrict their movement.

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Social construction of space

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This influences the way in which space is socially constructed.

Infrastructure As a reaction to these issues, small scale infrastructure such as security cameras, furniture, fences and walls are positioned within the urban fabric.

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Change in people’s behaviour The way in which people engage with the infrastructure changes the way in which they behave in urban space.

Change in the use of space The way that people interact and behave in space influences the way in which the space is used and functions which ultimately defines a new layer of social construction of space.

defining the issue of ‘stigma’ ISSUE

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Diagram showing the strategy for the social experiment; actors, positions, fabric layout and potential activity.

methodology & stakeholders

MEDIA

AUTHORITIES

The process for this experiment involved positioning five actors on the steps at the front of the North Station. A brown bag was placed on the heads of the actors, each bag concealing the faces of the actors but also holding a card with the title of the stigmatised character.

Red fabric was used to connect the actors, manipulating and partitioning the space to limit passersby, reducing the possibility of people avoiding the actors and guiding the passing people to notice the actors.

The actors remained static with only one arm extended in a hand-shake gesture.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Five chosen stigmatised characters portrayed by the actors for the experiment.

The test was to see how people would react to the actors, and the manner in which they would use the manipulated space.

PEOPLE ALL (INCLUDING THE STIGMATISED)

STAKEHOLDERS

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I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A MUSLIM

Plan showing the positions of the actors on the staircase I AM A DRUG ADDICT

I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A MUSLIM

I AM A PROSTITUTE

I AM AN EX-CONVICT

engagement & identity

I AM A REFUGEE

One of the most important findings, which was not planned, was the manner in which people identified with the different characters. People expressed their empathy through words, touching, hugs, gestures and the way they shook the actors hands.

The actors received both positive, reaffirming responses, as well as quite harsh, negative responses. These are summarised here.

I AM AN EX-CONVICT

I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A MUSLIM

I AM AN EX-CONVICT

This actor received a wide range of responses. The most predominant response was from other refugees - “I am a refugee too”, was mentioned many times to the actor. Other people were very open and welcomed the actor, repeating encouraging phrase and saying “welcome”. She also received negative messages about the use of the space, such as “not even getting out of the way”. These phrases express the contrasting views pedestrians had towards the character as well as to the disturbance the experiment had to their everyday movement (spatial and social).

Similar to the refugee, this actor received many words of solidarity, with passersby saying “I am a Muslim too”. An insightful moment during the performance, was when a soldier, patrolling the station, pulled out the paper bag off the actors head and when realising she wasn’t a threat, looked at her and said “Bonjour”. Then put it back and left. We wondered what would happen if the person under the bag was not a blonde, Belgium girl who was acting as a Muslim.

This reaction brought to light issues on safety and terror projected on Muslims in public spaces.

This actor received many apologetic handshakes, with people expressing empathy and sorrow they had towards the character. They said things like - “I got your back” and “welcome back”. There was a specific person who intended to have a conversation with the actor and asked why she was imprisoned. The actor also received a condolence hug. The actors also expressed the fear of being in a position of vulnerability, but how this changed when people engaged with them.

I IAM AM A A REFUGEE REFUGEE

I IAM AM A A REFUGEE MUSLIM

I AM I AMAAN REFUGEE EX-CONVICT

EXPERIMENT

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I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A MUSLIM

Do you want cocaine?

Stop this experiment now

Hold on Don’t worry

Welcome Hey, I’m a refugee as well

You are beautiful

(Arabic)

You are beautiful

Inshallah

I can’t stop

Thank you Sorry man You are beautiful

I am an addict

(Arabic) Nice to meet you

Not even going out of the way

I take drugs too

Great work (French)

You are

Do you speak French?

Good job You are beautiful

doing great One of the most important reflections which was not actually planned but came out teaching us all the effectsEx-that our social experiment caused, was the identification Thank you convict? Bonjour of the people with the different characters or actors located in this specific urban It’s about You the are tag that each actor had, and expressed space. As itdiscrimination they felt something related to beautiful it words and/or in the way they shook hands. After the group analysis session, we had in order to present the summary of this work, we can sum up these feelings

I AM AN EX-CONVICT

The plan above is overlayed with some words and phrases that were said to the actors in response to the characters and the experiment as a whole. The comment received were both positive and reassuring as well as critical and negative.

The actors received comments in Dutch, French, Engish and Arabic. The actor who played the muslim character received most comments in Arabic.

The only word that people had a problem understanding was ‘convict’.

I AM A PROSTITUTE

I AM A DRUG ADDICT

GENERAL

This actor received many greeting in French and Dutch. The actor was told that he was beautiful and many commented on the overall project, saying “good job and “great work”. A Muslim women cam up tot he actor to say “I am Muslim, thank you for doing this”.

This actor received a wide range of responses. The most predominant response was from other drug addicts, confessing to th actor that - “ Man, I am one too”.

Someone even offered the actor cocaine.

Some confessions were low voices while others were out loud. One person gave the actor a big “hi five”. The actor said that other people shook her hand and expressed their sympathy by touching and kissing her hand.

We do believe that our three performance sessions captured the attention of the stakeholders, who are the users of the train station. We also caught the attention of a Brussels News Station (Media) and the policeman and soldiers (authorities), who ultimately stopped our experiment. In the initial stages of our experiment, a man tried to get us to go away by threatening us and telling us we didn’t get permission and we can’t film.

I IAM AM A A REFUGEE PROSTITUTE

I IAM AM A A REFUGEE DRUG ADDICT

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I AM A DRUG ADDICT

I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A MUSLIM

I AM A PROSTITUTE

I AM AN EX-CONVICT

12.00-12.20

57 57 I am a refugee 57 The drawing above shows the positions of the actors and the number of people that shook one, two or all of their hands.Chart Title The linesChart Title show people 19 the space just to shake the actors 19 I am Muslim moving into and away from the station as well as19 people entering hands and leaving again. In some special cases, people moved around the stairs interacting with all of the actors. The experiment also initiated interaction between the commuters and passers-by.

The map shows the potential in using space in different ways through the initiation of new interactions. tnvict 17 17 I am an ex-convict 17 60 60 60 18 18 ute I am a prostitute 18 50 50 50 FLOW IN AND OUT USE OF SPACE FLOW IN 59 AND OUT ed ddicted 59 I am a drug addicted 59 OF THE STATION OF THE STATION 40 40FLOW 40 1. DIRECT (MULTIPLE (SINGULAR 170 170 akes Total handshakes 170 HANDSHAKES) 2. INDIRECT FLOW

e

HANDSHAKES)

Chart Title Chart Title

Chart Title

flow & 340 340 use of space

30

30

30

20

20

20

10

10

0

0

Chart T

10

340

0

I am a I am a I am a I am I am I am refugee refugee refugee I am an exI am an ex12.00-12.20 Muslim Muslim Muslim I am an ex I am a I am a convictconvict convict I am a drug I am a drug prostitute prostitute The findings for this experiment were documented by counting the total number of addicted addicted

I am a refugee 5 people that moved through the space at three different time interval consisting of I am Muslim 1 30 minutes each i.e. 14:15 - 14:35, 15:15 - 14:35 and 16:45 - 17:05. We then counted the overall number of interactions and categorised them into people who ignored/ I am an ex-convict 1 avoided the actors, those that shook handsI am a prostitute with the actors and those that took 1 12.00-12.20 eople using the space (stairs) otal people using the space (stairs) Total people using the space (stairs) selfies, filmed and took photographs of the experiment. These results fluctuated at 12.00-12.20 I am a drug addicted 5 I am a refugee 57 the different time intervals i.e. many more commuters, and as a result many more 19 who passed by but did not get involved with them eople who passed by but did not get involved with them People who passed by but did not get involved with themTotal handshakes I am a refugeeI am Muslim 57 17 I am an ex-convict 17 get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes 8 people use cell phones to reco not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes 8 people use cell phones to 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes 8 peo Chart Title handshakes during peak hours (16:45 - 17:05)

236 236

eople who got involved People who got involved swho got involved In 20 minutes

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I am Muslim I am a prostitute I am an ex-convict I am a drug addicted I am a prostitute Total handshakes Chart Title I am a drug addicted

In 20 minutes In 20 minutes

Total handshakes Chart Title

pace the (stairs) space (stairs) Total people using the space (stairs)

406

406

ut didbut notdid getnot involved withpassed them d by get involved withby them People who but did not get involved with them 236

236

58% 58%

236

58%

1.

INVOLVED

volved

People who got involved

170

42% 42%

170

42%

2.

NOT INVOLVED

volved

People who got involved

170

406

DISTRIBUTION OF PEOPLE

1

I am a refugee

57

57

24% 24%

57

I am Muslim

19

19

8%

19

I am an ex-convict

17

17

7%

8%

19 17 18 59 170

18

59 32 In 20 32 40

34

30

340

20

10

340

0

2

1 2 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes In 20 minutes 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes

24% In 20 minutes

Total people using the space (stairs)

1

60

170 50

People who passed by but did not get involved with them using the space (stairs) 2Total people8% People who got involved People who passed by but did not get involved with them

236

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236 406 236

406 236

5

170 58%

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People who got involved 170 42% 7% 17 Due to the use of public space the characters 7% People who got involved Due to the use of public space the charac Due to the use of p 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes

12.00-12.20 12.00-12.20 I am a refugee I am a refugee I am Muslim I am Muslim I am an ex-convict I am an ex-convict I am a prostitute I am a prostitute I am a drug addicted I IAM AM A AI am a drug addictedI IAM AM A A REFUGEE REFUGEE PROSTITUTE ADDICT Total handshakes DRUG Total handshakes

57 57 19 19 17 17 18 18 59 I IAM AM A A 59 REFUGEE MUSLIM 170 170

I IAM AM A A REFUGEE REFUGEE

Chart Title Chart Title

18 I am a refugee I am Muslim8%

59 25%

12.00-12.20

I am an ex-convict I am a prostitute I am a drug addicted Total handshakes

340 340

57 57 24% 19

60 60 50 50 I 40 AM I AMAAN REFUGEE EX-CONVICT 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 0 0

19 8%Chart Title

17 7%

I am a I am a refugee refugee

I am I am Muslim Muslim

17 60 18 50 The numbers indicated above, show the number of handshakes59 received by each character out of a total number of 170 handshakes counted over a 20 minute period. The distribition of these numbers (percentages) remained consitant40 over the various sessions but did increase proportionally at busier periods.

170 30

59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes Chart Title 20 1 2 3 4 5 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes In 20 minutes 236 10 1 2 3 4 340 5 These numbers do236 not purely indicate In 20 minutes DISTRIBUTION OF PEOPLE 0 1. DRUG ADDICT Total people using the space (stairs) Total people using the space (stairs)2. REFUGEE People who passed by but did not get involved with them People who passed by but did not get with them 3. involved EX-CONVICT People who got involved People who got involved 4. PROSTITUTE

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

People who got involved 5. MUSLIM People who got involved I am a refugee 59 people do not get involved in the experiment during 5 minutes 1 2 3 4 5 a refugee In 20 minutes II am 236 am Muslim I am Muslim I am an ex-convict Total people using the space (stairs) 406 I am an ex-convict I am prostitute People who Chart Title passed by but did a not get involved with them 236 I am a prostitute People who got involvedI am a drug addicted 170 I am a drug addicted People who got involved with an actor People who got involved People who got involved with an actor

58% 42%

I am a refugee

57

24%

I am Muslim

19

8%

People who got involved with two actors

11

5%

Chart Title People who got involved with all the actors

3

1%

People who took selfies/pictures or made videos by cellphone of the performance

32

14%

the proportionality of the number of I am a handshakes to 406 the particular type of I am refugee I am an exstigmatisedMuslim individual, but alsoI am a the 406 convict I am a drug relevance of the236 position that prostitute the 58%actor was addicted placed at. The actors positioned 236 that were58% 170 42% on the sides of the staircase received a 170 number of 42% significantly higher handshakes than those positioned in the centre. This is due to the overall higher number of people Chart Title moving through57 the side of the24% staircase 8 people use cell phones to record in 5 minutoe i.e. coming from57 the buses parked 24%on the In 20 minutes 32 19 8% street, the bus station and surrounding 19 8% buildings.

17 7% Due to t 17 7% Due to t 18 8% of the st 18 8% of the st 59 25% other pa 59 25% other pa 170 72% 170 72%

People who got involved with two actors 11 5% Pictures 17 7% Due to the use of public space the characters in the extreme People who got involved with two actors 11 5% Pictures People who got involved with all the actors 3 1% I am a I am a prostitute 18 8% of the station, got the attention of the people 3 more times I am refugee I am an exPeople who got involved with all the actors 3 1% Muslim I am a I am a drug addicted convict People who took selfies/pictures or made videos by59cellphone 25% of the performance other parts of the station.

32 14% prostitute I am a drug addicted who took selfies/pictures or made videos by170 cellphone 72% of the performance 32 People who got involved with an actor 14% People who got involvedPeople with an actor I am an ex-convict

8 people use cell phones to record in 5 minutoes In 20 minutes 32

DISTRIBUTION OF PEOPLE 1.

INVOLVED (1 ACTOR)

2.

INVOLVED (2 ACTORS)

3.

INVOLVED (ALL THE ACTORS)

Due to the use of public space the characters in the extremes: left and right 4. PEOPLE WHO TOOK SELFIES, of the station, got the attention of the people 3 more times that the actors in PHOTOS & FILM other parts of the station.

People who got involved with an actor

People who got involved with two actors Pictures, selfies and videos**** People who got involved with all the actors

People who took selfies/pictures or made videos by cellphone o

TYPE OF INTERACTION 1. DID NOT NOTICE 2. IGNORE 3. AVOID 4. HANDSHAKE 5. HUG 6. COMMUNICATE 7. SELFIE, PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMING

People who got involved with two actors Pictures, selfies and videos**** People who got involved with all the actors People who took selfies/pictures or made videos by cellphone of the performance

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This lady and her daughter comes to the station at 16:00 everyday to beg for money. Her husband sits in the station.

She stays for 25 minutes and then leaves.

The actors are tied together with red fabric manipulating the route people take to leave or enter the station. The red fabric subtly guides passers-by towards the actors.

A young girl excited and intrigued about the experiment, shakes hands with our refugee actor and talks to the actor in French while her friends stand close-by. This girl was at first afraid and hesitant about the actors, but eventually after familiarising herself with the experiment, eventually relaxes and open up.

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This man holds hands with the refugee actor raising her hand above his head in a gesture of solidarity.

This man walks past the actor giving the actor a dirty look.

Nearing the end of the day, our experiment is stopped by the police telling us that it is illegal to cover our heads in a public space.

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A soldier lifts the bag off the head of the Muslim actor and on confirming her non-threatening blonde and blue eyed appearance, places it back and continues on his way.

A passer-by places a kiss on the drug addict actors hand.

A soldier smiles at us encouragingly, destroying our own perceptions on the uniformed men and their guns.

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I AM A REFUGEE

conclusions & personal reflections I AM A REFUGEE

JASMIEN VERSHUEREN

I AM A REFUGEE

By wearing the tag and the bag, after a while it felt like you could place yourself into the “actor” of Muslim himself. You could feel the warmth, the respect, the gratefulness of people shaking your hand and all bad thougts associated with this religion faded. Without seeing who gave you a handshake it felt like a lot of them where Muslims themselves.

I AM A REFUGEE

WENDY CHAVEZ When I think of the way we are learning in this program, I feel encouraged and confident about a better future, made with people who care about people.

Having the opportunity to make a social experiment that fosters human interaction in the urban space, is really something that students from all over the world should be living and learning.

The design and implementation of this social experiment made me feel thankful for the quality of education I am receiving and for the kind of students I am sharing my thoughts with. This is not only about classes, but about being a more creative and inclusive human being.

At first I was skeptical towards our social experiment because I was afraid people wouldn’t react or would react in a negative way. Eventually when I was standing on the stairs with the bag on my head and the first people started to shake my hand, I couldn’t stop smiling. People were friendly, supportive and started to talk about their own lives and problems. I never would have thought that something so simple could be so joyfull and satisfying.

I AM A REFUGEE

I AM A REFUGEE

AMINA KASKAR The temporary nature of the experiment might not help the community immediately, but what the designer or implementer can take away from it, can influence the grander scheme and ultimately frame a more sensitive, meaningful approach to the urban design strategy.

It was terrifying being labelled as something, that was not in my control and awaiting a reaction. I understood that the fear that I had is a fear that is shared by many minorities who experience this sort of exclusion daily.

SHAUNI MARCHAND

In the beginning it felt like a game. Yet it turned out to be a tense experience. The ‘’labels’’ are not empty words; they have a fierce meaning; they describe a whole world. While this world evolves, it takes control over you; you ‘’become’’ the drug addict. And the society knows how to treat you as the drug addict. You are accused by people who have nothing to accuse you of.

You can feel the apathy, the rejection, but you can also feel the redeeming power of understanding.

Before presenting ourselves in the public domain through this experiment, we were little afraid. It all turned upside down at the moment when people started engaging with us by crossing the threshold. The compassionate gestures by many were overwhelming and filled our heart with warmth and confidence. Overall, It was indeed a moving experience. Personally, I see this transformation of the existing space into an social-urban experience as an opportunity where communities/diversity come closer by eliminating stigmas. This brings back a hope for a foundation of social cohesion, harmony and peace in the society resulting an inclusive city.

CITA CANT

I AM A REFUGEE

MARIA SKORDOULI

I AM AN ANSHU AHUJA EX-CONVICT

In the beginning I was scared. Not knowing what was gonna happen, how people would react. Not knowing who I was at that moment for myself and for the spectator.

But from the moment the first handshake came, a feeling of relief overtook. The word ‘refugee’, without a face, meant enough.

I could feel the compassion, I could hear the awareness, but you could also feel the rejection, hear the ignorance. The judge of the word was enough for people to (not) interact. For a moment I could feel what it’s like to have this label on you, this has been one of the most intense experiences I’ve had lately.

It was comforting receiving a handshake, a hug or words of comfort. This eliminated the fear and sense of displacement in the space. The importance of receiving engagement from people/strangers in a public space is a motivation for how space can be activated for social and political agency.

Being Muslim and having been questioned and viewed differently myself, definitely made me aware of the vulnerable position I was putting myself in and the blurred line between us as the actors and the characters we were playing.

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I AM HUMAN

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