With the continued absence of a credible political process, it has become evermore crucial to view the dominant structures of spatial power in Israel-Palestine as an entrenched reality rather than a passing aberration. This website was born from the pressing need to expose and confront the long-term spatio-political implications of these structures and, more broadly, to engage in forms of agency with the potential to counter them, and to establish paths towards possible alternatives.
The term ‘arena of speculation’ was coined by Decolonizing Architecture, referring to an intellectual space of critical debate on the spatial futures of Israel-Palestine. Whilst their work aims to challenge and subvert the contours of spatial power through a creative application of the tools of spatial analysis and architectural conjecture, the implications of such endeavours are also much wider. They offer a means to reframe the trajectories defined by traditional power structures, and to explore the potentials of practices centred on individual and collective agency.
This website was established by a group of architects and spatial thinkers with the intention of offering a doorway to this growing sphere of agency, defined here as ‘spatial resistance’, by drawing in perspectives encompassing spatial analysis, advocacy, critical speculation and physical intervention. It is hoped that rather than simply offering an echo chamber for debate, this deliberate juxtaposition of speculation with practice may highlight fragments of possible spatial futures that already exist, and how – in the midst of the myriad forces continually reshaping Israel-Palestine – these might represent seeds of an alternative future.
Contribute
The aim of this website is to build a collective platform to share original analysis, mappings, photographic studies and other projects that trace the contours of the spatial struggle in Israel-Palestine, and to support relevant events and actions, wherever they may occur.
We are actively seeking to build a network of regular contributors, particularly those who can offer engaging perspectives from first-hand experience on the ground, whether in Arabic, English or Hebrew. We also welcome guest contributions and cross-postings from other sites.
If you would like to be involved, please get in touch at info [at] arenaofspeculation.org
You can also sign up for email updates, and connect with us on facebook and twitter.
Contributors – Profiles of the people involved in this site
Contact – How to get in touch with us