Symbolic trajectories in action: Digital technologies and representations of a stigmatized neighborhood

The symbolic standing of a neighborhood has material consequences, and stigmatized neighborhoods are often locked into a disadvantageous position. So far scholars have mostly studied neighborhood change in terms of degradation or upgrading, but we adopt a complex perspective that accounts for the contested nature of the processes shaping “symbolic trajectories.” Seeking to gauge the role played by digital technologies in these processes, we studied a neighborhood in The Hague, the Netherlands. We report on our conceptual framework and research design, ethical protocols, as well as our findings and their implications. Our research combines a qualitative approach to the field with computational analyses. We investigate social media posts spanning a decade to understand how they align with symbolic trajectories. Our findings reveal competing symbolic trajectories sponsored by different kinds of actors, with a slight trend toward fewer denigrating representations. The relative divestment of major institutions from the neighborhood leaves greater room for maneuver for everyday users and resident initiatives in shaping the neighborhood image. • Provides an integrated conceptual framework for studying “symbolic trajectories” as forms of social action that shape the symbolic standing of urban neighborhoods. • Reports on a detailed, mixed-methods case study of a stigmatized neighborhood that draws on qualitative research and neighborhood representations from two social media platforms. • Contains data visualizations that track competing trajectories over the course of a decade.