Urban Transformation and Experiences of ‘Becoming Marginal’ in Russia

Abstract Urban transformation in the post-socialist city is connected to comprehensive debates. This paper steers reader through these, emphasising three contentions that serve clarify approach two interconnected questions: How do people give meaning urban transformation? In which ways does an analysis of societal change a peripheral pre-war Russia contribute debates on global urbanism? The structured main parts, beginning with review literature. focus this study experiences, bringing more human perspective combination structural dimensions impeding everyday. second part, Togliatti introduced as research site and details data collection are provided. contributes empirically auto-town Samara region southeast Moscow, Russia. third part devoted interlocutors’ perspectives emergence narrative ‘becoming marginal’. conclusion, becoming marginal gives historical conjuncture grievances reflect they reason about individual life trajectories. While place-specific, these experiences link (urban) discussions marginality precarity. underscores making sense means context, final discussion, it reflects how much difficult such has become after Russia’s military attack Ukraine 24 February 2022.