ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the reader the content of the book by providing a literature review on liminality and transgression, and its rationale and approach to the subject. First, the chapter discusses why liminality has recently received more attention due to political, social, and technological changes. As the chapter delves into the history of liminality, the reader can see how it is as old as the history of civilisation. Despite the timeless efforts of creating a world of borders, liminality has always existed together with them.
The chapter demonstrates liminality starting from the most microscopic level of identity to the macroscopic level in cities and beyond. Unlike borders and boundaries, liminality cannot be defined or categorised. The chapter continues with the book’s rationale and its relational approach to space to reflect diverse cultures and identities, which are intersectional and multiple. The chapter gives the reader comprehensive knowledge of the complex and diverse world of liminality by providing examples of different forms of liminality and case studies from the past and present to allow readers to connect various subjects, periods, and geographies. In sum, the chapter offers an introductory reading on how borders and liminality are interconnected.
