Are there ‘underdog cities’ in your region or nation?
I’m working on my own personal definition for ‘underdog city’ but for now would say it’s a place that is often overlooked in terms of value, offerings and assets and is also often stigmatized- the latter stigmatization often being the reason for people overlooking or underestimating the place.
Of course such places might also have very valid reasons for being stigmatised. They could have been in years or decades of decline, and have experienced significant local issues socially, economically, environmentally and/or culturally.
But the notion of being an ‘underdog’ implies that there’s something there that someone… some people are rooting for. There’s something to believe in.
I begin to explore this issue more as my own family and I are planning a move to what can definitely be referred to as an ‘underdog city’ in Poland. The stigmatization is visible in people’s faces and responses when I tell them where we are planning to move next.
As a foreigner, the stigma perhaps affects me less. I have no network pressure about how moving to ‘x city’ will ‘look’. I also wasn’t brought up year with years of conditioning to stigma of certain places.
I had heard enough about this city that the first time I went there (last year) my expectations were quite low. And perhaps that’s why it was such an especially great surprise to walk around and really enjoy the chill, low key atmosphere of the pedestrianized areas of the centre city – one particularly lovely tree-rich section of that area pictured here.
Of course it helps that my first couple of introductions to the city were extremely rich with high-key, welcoming and enthusiastic encounters with locals. It feels good to be welcomed!
I’m looking forward to not only exploring city and stigma, but also themes of revitalization and also enjoy experiencing and studying smaller city living again.
Are there some special underdog city stories in your life?