Constructionism in Belgrade
Artifacts of a Bureaucratic Game
Serbia is in transition and Belgrade under construction . At first , I did not think the construction works were much different from those happening at my home . During summer in Belgium , the city was also interrupted by numerous construction sites , blocking public transport and pedestrians on their way to work or entertainment . Soon after arriving in Belgrade , however , I learned that the construction works in the city were unlike what I was used to .
It is never truly clear what exactly is being deconstructed or reconstructed and there is no clear information on how long the constructions will last . People just walk through the construction sites as if they are a normal part of their daily routes to their destinations . Also , even after the construction workers leave the site , it does not seem fully finished and often material is left behind as traces of construction .
After talking to people from Belgrade I learned that to them to the situation is fairly new . Some argue that the city began this enormous amount of construction sites because of the elections that will take place in the spring time . It is also said that most of the works done are merely to clean up the surface , but make it appear as if actual change has happened . So with this in mind , do the construction works benefit the people living in Belgrade or rather the people controlling the city ?
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