WP73 Here and there: Space and social positioning in the identity narratives of Andalusian migrants

This article explores a set of identity?related narratives collectively constructed by a group of Andalusian (Southern Spain) migrants settled in Aarhus, Denmark, in a focus group interview. Linking up to previous narrative work in which the role of space is claimed as a structuring element of stories, I present a set of migrants? narratives where the contrast between the ?here? in the host country and the ?there? of the homeland constitutes the cornerstone of the ideas presented and used for ?identity work? in the interaction observed.
Taking a micro?analytical approach, I argue that these narratives were performed in interaction, and were constrained by the focus group as a special communicative event, shaped by and shaping the interviewer?s and her interlocutors? rhetorical actions. I also point out some resonances between the arguments deployed by the participants and the traditional identity narrative of Andalusian and Andalusians. This study combines tools from the field of conversation analysis with more macro?analytical perspectives on identity construction, seeking to offer a panoramic view of the processes by which general narratives are consumed and re?created in specific interactive settings, with specific, authentic interactive purposes (Bakhtin, 1986; Wortham, 2001).