Representations and interpretations of the Wrigley Field renovation : between nostalgia and nostophobia

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] In January of 2013 the Chicago Cubs announced the "Ten-Sixty Project," a five-year 500 million dollar renovation of the historic Wrigley Field. The century old ballpark that possesses a rich history filled with nostalgic constructions is now undergoing a facelift that includes the addition of many modern features that the park has traditionally not possessed. During Wrigley Field's very public facelift, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to pictorially document the renovation and distribute these pictures via social media. With the technology now available for most citizens to produce and distribute content to mass audiences, social media has become a public platform for many individuals to construct and communicate meanings. The photos posted on social media of the Wrigley renovation represent messages that have been produced by these individuals, who are showing audiences the changing space though the perspective of their camera lens. Not only do these pictures offer a glance at the physical transformations of the ballpark, but they also provide a meaningful medium for a photo-elicitation approach to investigate the meanings and social interactions generated out of the human-spatial relations. With this in mind, this study engages a theoretical framework from Henri Lefebvre's (1991) social production of space to examine the narratives produced by individuals regarding the renovation of Wrigley Field. The consideration of Lefebvre's (1991) theories on space, specifically his notions of lived space, is used as means to explore how users contest and construct their own meanings of a space over time. To Lefebvre, lived space is the terrain where users encounter social struggle, and produce counterpaces as a means for resistance. In particular, two research questions are proposed: 1). What 'lived space' can be revealed from the photo-elicited narratives from the residents and fans in documenting the renovation of Wrigley Field? 2). How have such narratives constituted interwoven discourses of nostalgia