Narratives of Conflict and Community Life in Vienna’s Public Housing: Exploring Imagined Communities, Symbolic Roles and the Responsibility of Integration

In my dissertation, I examine the complex social dynamics within Vienna’s public housing model Gemeindebau, originally intended for the Austrian working class but now home to many people with migration background as well. As these communities evolve, the coexistence of culturally and socially distinct groups generates a range of tensions. Using the constructivist Grounded Theory approach and qualitative methods such as participant observation and interviews, this study explores social, cultural and emotional dimensions underlying these conflicts.

Conflicts often emerge not from direct confrontations but from imagined communities formed through narratives that attribute fabricated traits to different groups. Seemingly minor disputes—such as children playing loudly or damaging shared spaces — mask deeper tensions. Children, in particular, play a significant role in these dynamics, often becoming symbolic figures. They are used as a focal point, with disputes centered on their behavior, but in fact, these conflicts represent broader issues of cultural integration and belonging.

The older residents without migration background find themselves in conflict with younger migrant families, using everyday incidents as proxies for more profound cultural challenges. While many residents assert that they hold no anti-immigrant views, subtle biases emerge through language, body language, and communication patterns. Residents with migration background sense these underlying hostilities but struggle to fully articulate them, as they are often expressed through micro-aggressions and indirect cues. These dynamics are influenced by broader societal structures, where expectations of integration are placed on individuals, often without adequate support or preparation. The complexity of navigating these challenges falls largely on those directly involved in interactions, while the broader framework is shaped by decisions from higher levels of governance.

Ultimately, this research demonstrates how these conflicts, although appearing mundane, reveal underlying power dynamics and emotional undercurrents.