Safe/r spaces. A critical view of a socio-political space
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Abstract
The aim and purpose of safe/r spaces is to create protected areas for vulnerable groups. However, there is a tension between this goal and the complex requirements when it comes to their implementation. The article traces historical developments and the spread of safe/r spaces in the education sector, in NGOs and the public discourse, shedding light on the debates around identity politics and social discrimination. It critically analyses the inherent contradictions and power dynamics within these spaces and argues that absolute safety can never be achieved and following a securitization narrative has unintended consequences. The article also addresses the criticism that safe/r spaces restrict intellectual discourse and examines their political significance. By tracing the historical development of the concept of safe/r spaces, the need for such spaces for political participation is emphasized. The challenges of neoliberal appropriation and the complexity of inclusive spaces are also presented. Despite their inherent limitations, safe/r spaces, it is argued, are essential for promoting an awareness of power structures and developing strategies to adequately intervene in power dynamics.
Keywords: discrimination, safe/r spaces, identity politics, social justice, social movements, queer feminism
Bibliography: do Mar Castro Varela, María /Oghalai, Bahar/Bayramoğlu, Yener: Safe/r Spaces. Ein sozio-politischer Raum – kritisch betrachtet, GENDER – Zeitschrift für Geschlecht, Kultur und Gesellschaft, 2-2025, pp. 103-118.
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