Recollections and Lived Experiences of Former Residents in the Reykjavík Public Housing Projects

• Main Author: Elín Valsdóttir 1991-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Mannfræði; Reykjavík; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/40906

The city must be examined in terms of its material and spatial form, where urban space and place hold culturally and historically formed as well as contested social meanings. City dwellers navigate urban space and place differently which influences their experiences. For example, specific labels are frequently ascribed to entire neighborhoods, as territorial sigma adds place as a dimension of social discredit. People have strong ties to their urban environment that are intertwined with their memories and identities. The current thesis investigates the lived experiences of a group of people who lived in Reykjavik public housing projects from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. The goal here is to gain insights into this group's past experiences as a marginalized group or community. Through interviews, archival records, and memory work, a qualitative approach was used. Many youths who grew up in housing projects, according to the current study, faced stigma and discrimination, which may have shaped their later-life experiences and opportunities. Moreover, they were stigmatized not only as individuals, but also as residents of public housing projects. It was clear, however, that these people felt strongly attached to their community. In conclusion, the thesis demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, Iceland was not an egalitarian society.