Introducing sociopolitical peripheries:power, relationality, and transformation in the margins of Europe

This chapter introduces “sociopolitical peripheries” as marginalized communities or groups defined by their co-constitutive relationships with centers of power. Adopting a relational perspective, it explores how these peripheries are shaped through dynamic cultural interactions and lived experiences. It explains how sociopolitical space is socially produced and linked to negotiations of identity and power. The chapter also considers the transformative potential of liminal spaces, such as borderlands and urban peripheries, where hybrid solidarities and innovations emerge. By examining local, regional, and transnational processes, it sets the stage for deeper explorations of "sociopolitical peripheries" in subsequent chapters.