The Notion of Space in International Accompaniment

This article undertakes a critical exploration of ‘space’ in the context of ‘international accompaniment’. The main argument is that in these contexts space does not refer (only) to a physical place, but to space as a social and relational product. Space is socially constructed by a dense network of interactions which reflect power relations. Then it is explained how the physical presence of external observers (as ‘foreign bodies’) may become nested in those networks of interactions and contribute towards creating a ‘differential’ space. Finally, the understanding of space in IA is addressed as socially and relationally constructed, providing conceptual frameworks and entry points to assess what new and ‘differential’ spaces are created by international accompaniment.