Ordinary spaces in ordinary cities. Exploring urban margins in Torino and Marseille

This article outlines the need to move away from conventionally dualistic framing of deprived urban spaces which highlights their isolation from, or non-conformity to, the dominant society or culture as a gap or a blame. Tracing the evolution of marginalising discourses and representations of two predefined urban margins in Torino and Marseille, the aim is to critically discuss mainstream categories on urban deprivation and exclusion. After the introduction, normal tales on deprived urban spaces and, in particular, on urban margins, are presented. The assumption of “ordinary city,” advanced by A. Amin and S. Graham in 1997 and more recently by J. Robinson (2006) is then used to explore various representations of two so-called urban margins, namely Barriera di Milano in Torino and Belle de Mai in Marseille. Findings from the cases are used to transcend conventional and standardised categories and to outline the unfolding of ordinary urban life in urban margins.