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Domestic Territories and the Little Humans : Understanding the Animation of Domesticity

Brighenti, Andrea Mubi and Kärrholm, Mattias LU orcid (2018) In Space and Culture 21(4). p.395-407
Abstract
Domesticity is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon. In this piece, we approach it from the point of view of a general theory of territories. To do so, we attempt to tackle simultaneously the ecological and spiritual dimensions of home by attending the expressive dimension of domesticity. We emphasize that the expressiveness of home inherently includes the register of the familiar as well as that of the unfamiliar (Freud’s unheimlich). The constant negotiations between these two registers can be appreciated as carried out at the limits of control. To highlight this fact, we focus on the case of the “little humans,” miniature humanoid creatures well attested in traditional mythologies and folk tales across different civilizations. Drawing... (More)
Domesticity is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon. In this piece, we approach it from the point of view of a general theory of territories. To do so, we attempt to tackle simultaneously the ecological and spiritual dimensions of home by attending the expressive dimension of domesticity. We emphasize that the expressiveness of home inherently includes the register of the familiar as well as that of the unfamiliar (Freud’s unheimlich). The constant negotiations between these two registers can be appreciated as carried out at the limits of control. To highlight this fact, we focus on the case of the “little humans,” miniature humanoid creatures well attested in traditional mythologies and folk tales across different civilizations. Drawing from anthropological and ethnographic literature, yet with a leading interest in social–spatial theorizing, we seek to untangle the relations between humans and the little humans—these “elusive others” living with us—in order to clarify the deep meanings ingrained in domestic territories. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
domestic territories, territoriology, little humans, limits of control, parasites, crowds, animism
in
Space and Culture
volume
21
issue
4
pages
395 - 407
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85051741157
ISSN
1206-3312
DOI
10.1177/1206331217737921
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
241ac307-d3cb-43df-b435-4b2245b9e023
date added to LUP
2017-11-01 13:40:22
date last changed
2023-09-07 15:31:35
@article{241ac307-d3cb-43df-b435-4b2245b9e023,
  abstract     = {{Domesticity is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon. In this piece, we approach it from the point of view of a general theory of territories. To do so, we attempt to tackle simultaneously the ecological and spiritual dimensions of home by attending the expressive dimension of domesticity. We emphasize that the expressiveness of home inherently includes the register of the familiar as well as that of the unfamiliar (Freud’s unheimlich). The constant negotiations between these two registers can be appreciated as carried out at the limits of control. To highlight this fact, we focus on the case of the “little humans,” miniature humanoid creatures well attested in traditional mythologies and folk tales across different civilizations. Drawing from anthropological and ethnographic literature, yet with a leading interest in social–spatial theorizing, we seek to untangle the relations between humans and the little humans—these “elusive others” living with us—in order to clarify the deep meanings ingrained in domestic territories.}},
  author       = {{Brighenti, Andrea Mubi and Kärrholm, Mattias}},
  issn         = {{1206-3312}},
  keywords     = {{domestic territories, territoriology, little humans, limits of control, parasites, crowds, animism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{395--407}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Space and Culture}},
  title        = {{Domestic Territories and the Little Humans : Understanding the Animation of Domesticity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1206331217737921}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1206331217737921}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}