Fragile Bodies in Cities

Fiorenza Gamba, Nikolena Nocheva, Henriette Steiner (Hrsg.)

Fragility is often overlooked as an exception rather than a fundamental aspect of human being. Consequently, the recognition of fragile bodies should not be limited to predefined categories but also encompass personal sensitivity to moral principles, power dynamics, post-colonial structures, and questions of racial justice.
In this book, we challenge the existing focus on groups by reimagining the city as an open and inclusive space that takes seriously the experiences of fragile bodies regarding the various obstacles they face. The first step towards this objective is to recognise that fragility is not a peripheral concern but rather a central dimension of human existence. Every human life begins exposed and dependent, lacking the means to secure its own shelter. From this perspective, urban planning and policy-making must fundamentally change their approach. Instead of designing for an abstract, idealised body, they must design with fragility as a core principle. This reorientation allows us to examine how urban spaces either embody or fail to embody the conditions essential for a dignified life. Houses, buildings, and by extension cities materialise the terms on which bodies feel welcomed.

Autoren/Herausgeber

Fiorenza Gamba is socio-anthropologist at the Institute for Sociological Research of the University of Geneva. Her research focuses on inclusion and fragilities in the city, urban creativity, and the anthropology and sociology of contemporary rituals.

Nikolena Nocheva is researcher at Charles University in Prague. She studies urban governance, inclusive participation, and the relationship between cultural interventions and urban transformation, particularly in place-making and the effect of everyday peace on vulnerable communities.

Henriette Steiner, Professor in the Section for Landscape Architecture and Planning and Society at the University of Copenhagen, works on history and philosophy of architecture, landscapes, and cities, exploring how historical structures shape buildings, cities, landscapes, and cultural imaginaries.