ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the interplay of multiple coexistent and becoming spatialities that constitute polysemic regional spaces. Consequently, we consider such regional spaces as constructed of interrelated material and symbolic processes and structures, as multi-dimensional spatialities in-becoming (Baars and Schlottmann, 2015). As an example, we refer to the everyday use of various spatial concepts in political discourse in the context of both the ‘Cultural Region’ and the ‘Economic Region’ of Central Germany. The chapter follows up on research into processes of everyday linguistic regionalisation (see Schlottmann, 2005, 2006, 2007a, 2007b, 2008, 2012, 2013) and on earlier work on the construction of the Central German region in public media and everyday-language use (Felgenhauer, 2007, 2010; Felgenhauer and Schlottmann, 2007; Felegenhauer et al., 2005; Schlottmann et al., 2007). One major finding of this work was that the Central German Broadcast Company MDR succeeded in promoting its version of the Central German entity by constructing a narrative around the history of this particular region. In everyday communication, however, multiple variants and meanings of the region were proven (still) abundant (ibid.). An initial assumption of this research was that irrespective of particular meanings, the linguistic and social constitution of spatial constructs is based on specific spatial concepts and perceptions. This assumption could be evidenced empirically in the narrative construction of the broadcasting council, media content and in common perception. However, the focus of the argument in previous research was founded on the everyday use of the container concept and its essentialisation in everyday language use, while virtually ignoring contemporaneous geographical concepts. The overall objective of ongoing work presented in this chapter, therefore, is rather to reconstruct the spatial multi-dimensionality of regions (and their borders) in-becoming. However, our framework is based on the assumption that particular sub-fields of the cultural and economic politics of regions are dominated by particular spatialities – an approach that aims at capturing the political dimension of the everyday use of spatial concepts (Hannah, 2006; Schlottmann, 2006).
