At the start of my PhD, Steven Vertovec shared his ideas about his conceptual triangle - Configurations, Representations, Encounters. It was intriguing. Even better to see it published as his take on the social organization of difference in Ethnic and Racial Studies. The best is, though, to critically review and extend it with my colleagues Fran Meissner and Nikolaus Vertovec. We went in two crucial dimensions: the technical and the material to take account of the longue durée of difference that is always also unequal, cast in hierarchies, especially in cities. I am looking forward to where this think piece goes. 

Abstract:
Vertovec’s social organisation of difference framework links three research areas. They study difference and its social importance: encounters, representations, and structural configurations. This paper argues for an expansion of the framework. It should recognise that those three domains are co-constituted and mediated by technical transformations and material sedimentations. An expanded focus is vital to address old and new inequalities. While Vertovec’s original framework paid limited attention to techno-material entanglements, we highlight their importance. The material and the technical matter at the intersections of encounters, representations, and configurations. Where possible, we point to examples. We thus call for more research and cross-disciplinary dialogue beyond the social sciences. We re-emphasise the framework’s usefulness for this and for engaging with (urban) complexities and difference. As a think-piece, the article shows the benefits of nuancing Vertovec’s framework by considering the technical and material.

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