SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This paper redefines the protest space as a performed liminal space that is topologically constituted. The production of protest space is examined through the narrations of people and participants during the post-election protests in Iran in 2009. It is well established that social exchanges are manifested in very diverse platforms, from new media to urban public spaces; this paper particularly argues that there is a topological relationship between all manifestations of protest. In other words, the protest space is articulated as a topological space, in which the protest can unfold in its physical, social, mental, and temporal capacities. The discussions deal with the complexity of spatial manifestations of protest. On one hand, the protest is discussed within the theoretical framework of ritual, showing that the protest is a temporal/liminal space. This framework helps not only to integrate spatial and temporal dimensions of protest, but also to avoid problematic conventional understanding of crowds. On the other hand, the protest space is articulated as a performed space, explaining how the protest space and collective performance are co-excited.