<i>‘Finally, We Had This Place That Was Ours</i>’: Micro‐Territorialisations and Place‐Belongingness Among Rural Young People in Denmark

ABSTRACT This paper examines young people's ‘micro‐territorialisations’ in rural settings, focusing on how they create and claim spaces within their communities. Based on 29 in‐depth interviews with individuals aged 18–25, it builds on and extends Harris and Wyn's concept of ‘micro‐territories of the local’ while incorporating Kärrholm's work on territorialisation to examine the relational and temporal dimensions of rural young people's place‐making. The paper also applies Antonsich's concept of ‘place‐belongingness’, to analyse how young people seek to maintain a sense of belonging to their communities through their territorialisation practices. Our findings show variations in micro‐territorialisations across different spaces, influenced by their nature (public or private; remote or central location), which allows for either temporary or permanent claims. The paper further highlights how young people's relationships with their local communities affect their territorial practices; they create their own places while being mindful and responsible in relation to their local communities. Alcohol and drug consumption are found to shape micro‐territorialisations, with substance use often leading to the preference for secluded locations to mitigate negative perceptions from the community.