Camille Soson Texereau

PhD Researcher

My PhD project focuses on how formal versus informal participatory practices in the creation of spaces impact marginalised groups and influence the formation of their identities. This top-down versus bottom-up approaches in the creation of space is investigated especially to understand their impact on marginalised groups, on “othered” and “queered” bodies, understood here as groups that do not follow the mainstream norms of the society.

Using feminist and queer geographies theories, especially Sara Ahmed’s queer phenomenology, I apprehend activism emerging as a non-institutionalised means of shaping space. Occupation of space can be viewed as a form of informal participation, contributing to social change and inclusive societies where the creation of new representations, but also the formation of identity outside of the dominant norms of the society, becomes possible.