Multisensory Symbolic Boundaries in a Northern Italian City. Experiences of Exclusion and Strategies of Spatial Agency Among Parma Inhabitants Racialized as Black.

This study investigates the racialization of urban spaces in Parma, an Italian city, through embodied experiences of Black individuals with immigrant backgrounds. Using walking conversations, it examines how sensory cues interact with public discourses to racialize urban environments, shaping perceptions of inclusion and exclusion. Media narratives amplify discomfort among long-term residents of Italian origin by associating sensory markers linked to immigrant presence with degradation and insecurity, transforming these spaces into contested sensory landscapes. Conversely, racialised individuals navigate these spaces with experiences from exclusion to cultural affirmation, which can both reinforce and challenge racialised representations. The study underscores the agency and resistance of racialised residents, who adopt tactics such as renaming spaces and engaging in sensory practices to reclaim urban environments. By adopting a multisensory approach, it deepens understanding of how racialised boundaries are produced, experienced, and contested, offering a framework for exploring race–space dynamics.