Exemple de fiche: spaces and exchanges

NOTION: Spaces and exchanges

Titre: Where are the social exchange spaces in the ghetto? Any social diversity up there?

Let’s deal with the notion of spaces and exchanges. A space is a geographical or symbolic area. While, an exchange can be defined as an interaction, a reciprocal giving and receiving between persons or societies. Moreover, there is a notion of equality, mutual benefits.

Economic, cultural, scientific interactions have transformed and characterised our modern world; sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst.

In our days, the world seems to be smaller because of the improvements in communication and transports. The exchanges between different people are easier. Nevertheless, some parts of the world are excluded from this process and have their own social exchange spaces and their own codes. We explore hereafter the hoods as an example. Hoods are self-governed places, with marginalized communities living in. Street and school are the two most important ghetto spaces I choose to focus on.

On the one hand, we discover the South Central Los Angeles poor district in the powerful American drama ‘Boyz ‘n the Hood’ written and directed by John Singleton. This three friend’s history reveals a world in which the street is the symbol of the African Americans’ territory and their home, so it’s the most important social exchanges place. In this unsecured place, there is some kind of internal trade of drugs and weapons. Their exchanges are only based on powers and violences. They have to join a gang to survive and to protect their own family, fight for the gang and even kill. All their horizons seem to be closed and fuzzy. Moreover, their economic exchanges are based on trust. In this gang place, social relationships are very important and we can find a particular network of exchanges: information, food... The three characters’ relationship is noteworthy, they share everything. But, the gang cut them with everything else, others places because if they go out form the street they can be killed. So, they stay on their own. Their “world” looks very confined and skimpy.

On the other hand, The Wire, it’s an American crime drama television series, created by a former police reporter David Simon. In an extract from the 2nd episode of the 4th season, the scene takes place in a self-segregation school. In fact, as a result of the composition of the neighbourhood around, there are only black pupils, just like in a ghetto. Because of that, there is no social mixing in the schools and even if it will be interesting to share their own culture they don’t do that.

Moreover, in this poor and needy school, domination and power make the law. The extract shows a group of boys staying frozen in front of an impressive group of overweight girls in the corridors and letting them through.

Indeed of that, school is a relationship convenient place. It shows also the canteen has a strong all-in-one bench that might create some warmer contact.

So we can say this extract develops the idea that schools are the true but sad reflection of the streets and the neighbourhoods. However, going to school is really essential for them. Indeed, the school is a weapon against violence and a key to get out from this isolated place. Teachers share their experiences which permit to teach them other cultures,

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