Dissertation
Urban polyglossia: changing identities in the linguistic landscape of South Philadelphia
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
May 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/pyrn-ae74
Abstract
The dissertation, "Urban Polyglossia: Changing Identities in the Linguistic Landscape of South Philadelphia," investigates Italian American residents' perceptions of linguistic and cultural diversity in "their" neighborhood of South Philly. As the built environment of the area evolves to reflect demographic changes stemming from immigration and gentrification, this dissertation asks: how do people respond to new forms of text, signage, and semiotics on their streets? How do these cause residents to re-conceptualize the neighborhood, and are their ideas of belonging and identity affected? Drawing together roughly two dozen in-depth interviews, a large photographic corpus, and ethnographic methods, the dissertation shows the deep, nuanced impact that a shifting landscape can have on those who inhabit it. By focusing on mediated encounters with texts in space, the dissertation contributes to the discipline by outlining an approach to communication that combines visual, intercultural, and phenomenological aspects of interaction. The data illustrate tensions that arise as a result of discourses embodied within each resident, from national-level ideas of what diversity is, down to personal experiences. Ultimately, the dissertation calls for greater awareness of how these forces influence the ways in which communication unfolds. It shows how repeated encounters with the "Other" can all feed into individuals' affective geographies, which echo the cultural and demographic changes reproduced linguistically and semiotically in the built environment around them. The dissertation concludes that this deeper understanding is necessary for improving tolerance and understanding in the super-diverse, polyglossic city.
Metrics
93 File views/ downloads
122 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Urban polyglossia
- Creators
- Greg J. Niedt - DU
- Contributors
- Rachel R. Reynolds (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xii, 207 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts and Sciences; Communication, Culture, and Media; Communication; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 9521; 991014632316004721