Paper short abstract:

By examining the ways that 'the ordinary' is constructed, embraced, and resisted by those involved in urban cultivation practices, this paper explores how ethnological research is enriched through engagement with normative discourses of 'the ordinary' that are used by informants.

Paper long abstract:

Often discussed in terms of the 'residual' (Lefebvre 1947); 'rhythms' (Lefebvre and Régulier 1985); "unnoticed, inconspicuous, unobtrusive" (Highmore 2002); or the "ways of operating or doing things" (de Certeau 1984), the ordinary provides a conceptual common ground where thoughts, values, and sedimented practices meet. It is for this reason that ethnologists and other cultural scientists have an interest in the potential of the ordinary. And yet, the moment we question what is perceived as ordinary, we find that it is anything but.

At the same time, there is a tension between those who embrace 'the ordinary' for its own inherent value, and those for whom its desirability is questioned. In the case of activism, this emerges as a tension between those advocating change through contentious politics, and those who emphasize changes that are personal, practical, and relational. Using the example of my own research on activism and urban cultivation in Sweden, I explore three ways in which listening to 'the ordinary' can be a valuable analytical tool to engage with diverse ontologies and narratives of urban cultivation and desirable activist behaviors. In addition to being a way to examine routines and habits within activist communities and what stands out among these, attending to the ordinary as an analytical tool also allows exploration of what is worthy of mention according to activists. Finally, the ordinary can act as a lens through which to explore how those engaged in activism relate to 'the ordinary' as a goal or something to avoid.