Paper short abstract:

The paper explores the dwelling practices of a Palestinian family in London through tracing the shifting spatiality of their residence. I revisit the notion of the domestic as a private space in this new diasporic context and show how ideas of 'space', 'body' and 'boundaries' were negotiated.

Paper long abstract:

'A tight house can fit 1000 loved ones' was the mantra of a Palestinian family whose members migrated to London in the protracted aftermath of the 2010 Gaza war. During this time, the family started a business, opening a café on top of a basement flat that housed several households at a time. The paper explores the dwelling practices of this family through tracing the shifting spatiality of their residence and the expansion of its interiors to accommodate multiple individuals as well as the business in a bid to recreate 'home'. I revisit the notion of the domestic as a private space in this new diasporic mode of cohabitation and show how ideas of 'space', 'body' and 'boundaries' were negotiated in this new context.