The consuming power of territories: a grounded theory exploration of symbolic violence and territorialized consumption in a post-conflict city

Pulic, Maja ORCID: 0000-0001-7370-7291 (2024). The consuming power of territories: a grounded theory exploration of symbolic violence and territorialized consumption in a post-conflict city. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

In a world where territorial boundaries have long been a source of division and conflict, this research unveils a transformative understanding of the complexities of territoriality within the realm of consumer behaviour and marketing. With roots embedded deeply in the traumatic experiences of the Bosnian war and its post-conflict transition, this research explores how seemingly inconspicuous boundaries, such as the Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL) going through the city of Sarajevo, profoundly influence consumption patterns.
Central to this thesis is an exploration of how major disruptive events, a war in this particular case, reshape the significance of places and, by extension, impact consumption patterns in ways that, this study argues, have been overlooked. Informed by critical marketing, this thesis explores the otherwise neglected domain of territorial consumption in marketing, using an interdisciplinary approach that links cultural geography with marketing. It looks into how we perceive, navigate, and are influenced by the boundaries around us, ultimately contributing to the way marketing discipline understands and engages with territory.
Using grounded theory method, this study uniquely integrates a "category-centred" grounded theory analysis, focusing on the relationships between emerging codes/categories, with the "case-centric" approach of narrative inquiry. By combining these aspects, it maintains the integrity of individual narratives on the one hand, while enriching the understanding of categories that arose within the grounded theory framework, on the other. The presented qualitative data encompasses oral life stories, participant observations, visual data, and archival (secondary) data from the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Through the comparison of data and literature, “territorialized consumption” is conceived as the core category. Territorialized consumption, as conceptualized in this study, refers, at the outset, to the process by which territorial boundaries—both tangible and intangible—profoundly influence, mould, and delimit people’s consumption behaviours and patterns. The process, however, does not stop here. This core category entails territoriality, which, this study argues, is an active subject which continuously conditions people’s consumption behaviour, while, simultaneously, 'consuming' individuals. In this dynamic, individuals are not just consumers of territories; they are also consumed by territoriality, that is by the power, violence, and authority acting in the territory, with visible and invisible boundaries as their multifaced agents.
The original contribution to knowledge lies in the unveiling of this two-way relation between people and territory challenging the conventional dichotomy between individuals as subject/consumers and territories as objects to be consumed.
Three key categories were identified within the formulated theoretical framework:
Legitimisation: The data posits that territories must first be legitimized, accepted, and recognized. Legitimisation serves as the foundation for examining territoriality within disrupted places as it demarcates boundaries employed as control strategies. Spatial memory, which is a constant recollection of past trauma during daily encounters with a place, serves to further legitimize territoriality. This interplay between the past and present transforms these places into transitional territories, reinforcing and re-experiencing the trauma within these newly legitimized spaces. This dynamic illustrates the original contribution to knowledge, which is the idea that territories consume individuals, reversing traditional views.
Maintenance: This category delves into the persistence of territoriality. It is illustrated through two processes: ownership and othering. Ownership refers to the establishment and acceptance of control over certain territories, essential for maintaining new boundaries. Othering involves distinguishing between 'us' and 'them,' often employed to sustain territorial boundaries by differentiating between insiders and outsiders. The strategic manipulation of symbolic markers plays a critical role in establishing and upholding territorial boundaries, distinguishing between the 'self' and the 'other.' The relationship between ownership and othering demonstrates how they work together to uphold and reinforce the territorialized consumption, with ownership providing the structure, and othering helping maintain the boundary by emphasizing distinctions.
Expression: Data reveals that territorial boundaries are often internalized, becoming a normalized, albeit unrecognized, form of daily violence. Yet, responses to territorialized consumption are not binary. Instead of strictly accepting or naturalizing territorial norms, individuals often challenge these boundaries, suggesting reactions to territorial demarcations are multifaceted and exist on a spectrum.
In conclusion, it is argued that this thesis successfully achieves the primary objective of grounded theory methodology: the development of a theory. Drawing from diverse and rich data sources, it offers a theoretical framework that delves into the realm of territoriality and consumption within disrupted contexts. It is also proposed that the relevance of this research is enhanced by its shedding light on overlooked contexts often marginalized in mainstream marketing, particularly those from non-Western perspectives. As the global landscape continually struggles with major disruptions, such as the widespread of armed conflicts and the recent pandemic, the insights offered by this research become even more critical. By examining the dynamics at stage in territories marked by boundaries (‘soft’ ones in particular), this study, in line with critical marketing thinking, offers scholars a lens through which they can understand and navigate the complex interplay between territory and consumption. This thesis, therefore, contributes both to the academic discourse and to real-world applications, particularly in understanding and addressing the challenges posed by disruptions and mutations in the experience of territory.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):