From Nomads to Urban Citizens: Exploring Place Attachment and Identity in Ulaanbaatar's Ger Districts

This study explores the socio-spatial dynamics of the ger areas in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where half of the city’s population resides, facing infrastructural neglect and social marginalization. Over the past 30 years, rural-urban migration has surged, with many internal migrants settling in these districts. Despite the common belief that Mongolians have the freedom to live without restriction in their own land, migrant households often encounter challenges related to livelihoods and a complex sense of belonging in the city. Migrants in ger areas are frequently stereotyped as "orcs" and blamed for environmental pollution, which further marginalizes them and leads to social exclusion, including limited access to social protection schemes.

While much of the existing research has concentrated on the socio-economic conditions in these areas, this study shifts focus to the emotional and psychological dimensions of place-making. Through the concepts of place attachment and place identity, we examine how residents' emotional bonds to their environment shape their interactions with urban space and influence the urbanization process. Utilizing interviews and observations, the research highlights how these affective connections are crucial in understanding the dynamics of ger districts.

The study argues that space is not merely a physical construct but is animated by the emotional relationships and lived experiences of its inhabitants. By examining two ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, the research delves into the "affective dimensions" of place-making, focusing on residents’ perceptions of their environment, identity, and belonging. The findings also critique the exclusion of ger residents from the status of "urban citizens" and challenge the socioeconomic and geographic marginalization they face. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how emotional, psychological, and physical factors intersect in shaping urban spaces and identities in Ulaanbaatar's ger districts.