The Uneven Field of Belonging: Capital and Power Dynamics Among Long-Term Residents in a Suburbanizing Municipality
The Uneven Field of Belonging: Capital and Power Dynamics Among Long-Term Residents in a Suburbanizing Municipality

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the internal dynamics of long-term residents in Chorvátsky Grob, a municipality near Bratislava that is undergoing rapid suburbanization. Moving beyond the conventional dichotomy of “newcomers versus old-timers”, it examines how historical hierarchies, ethnic identities, and unequal distributions of economic, social, cultural, symbolic, and bodily capital shape experiences of change. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the study highlights the mobilisation of symbolic capital – such as claims to autochthony (“svitar/svitari”) – and the persistence of class-based distinctions (“bíreš”) in structuring intra-community relations. Findings reveal significant disparities in residents’ ability to access political life and navigate shifting social landscapes, depending on their cultural and social resources. The research contributes to debates on post-socialist suburbanization by demonstrating how historical legacies intersect with contemporary transformations, shaping local power relations and social cohesion in complex ways.

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