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Theories of Third Space:
A New Way to Look at Research
On Tuesday, November 27, 2007, Benét DeBerry-Spence, Professor in the
Liautaud Graduate School of Business at the University of Illinois at Chicago
presented a seminar entitled “Theories of Third Space: Reconceptualizing the
Conceptual.” The focus of the lecture was to discuss what third space is
and how it can affect scholarly research.
DeBerry-Spence began the lecture by addressing what is meant by third space.
Many scholars have addressed this theory and she quoted quite a few who have
written about the topic. Her description included third space as being in a
space of in between, a temporary, transitional phase, which comes up and goes
away in cycles. Indeed, a place between one's public and private life, where
boundaries are blurred.
She spoke about how, as a researcher and scholar, this place of third space is
quite active and can occur frequently. Through her work with the MASAZI Visitor
and Welcome Centre, located in Accra, Ghana, West Africa, Benet experiences
the third space. Her personal interest in this project is the driving force
behind the things, people, and places that she has chosen to study as a scholar.
As a scholar, being in between the researcher and the researched provides a “backdrop
which allows for self-discovery and new identities to be forged.” It provides a new
way to look at ones research and recognize how living in the global world impacts your
work. DeBerry-Spence pointed out how everyone can relate to this idea of third space
on some level, particularly researchers.
Benét was a 2004-2005 Faculty Scholar at the Great Cities Institute and continues a
research agenda that includes cross-cultural consumption, consumption in developing
countries, and other research characterized as transformative.
A new working paper by Benét DeBerry-Spence has been added to the Great Cities Institute
Working Paper Series: Third Space Scholars: Enacting Third Space Within The Academy.
The paper is available at: http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/gci/publications/workingpaperseries/.
This lecture was part of the GCI Seminar Series, which invites experts, practitioners, and academics to speak on current issues and innovative research.
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