Street Corner Conflicts - Shifting Frames in Different Relational Contexts

In this paper an empirical case-study is presented to an ongoing conflict between youngsters with an Moroccan background and neighbours at a public suare in a big city in the Netherlands. The research question of this study is: How do people involved in the conflict frame the conflict, and how do they legitimize the frames they put forward in interaction? In addition, we want to know whether the presence of 'the enemy' influences the frames that people construct, and if so, in what way. This study builds on the assumption that people frame conflicts on public space according to their experiences, expectations, objectives and interests at a specific moment. The basis for our analytical framework is found in theories on framing. For studying frame construction in interaction a qualitative, ethnography-based approach was chosen. Data have been collected in researcher organized conversations with stakeholders in different relational contexts. The study shows the ambiguous role of communication in conflicts: the conflict is constructed through communication (e.g. by the development of stereotypes and stigma's of the opponents within the we-group) and the constructed frames with respect to the conflict (including causes and solutions) are legitimized through communication, but communication and interaction between the opponents also cause changes in existing frames in the direction of more common frames