Quilting comparison: Wonder, translation and theorization

The chapter readers are about to read is a translocal dialogue on comparative research in and about urban life. It is the result of the experiences of three women in different cities. Postcolonial theorists insist that comparison serves to force colonized peoples to live “in comparison” with the Western norm. By focusing on the lived processes of comparison rather than predetermined locations, the authors wish to emphasize the relational and everyday dimensions of comparison. Drawing on the experience of TRYSPACES, they show that vernacular comparison often operates on the basis of associations of ideas, constantly shifting temporal and spatial scales as the conversation evolves. They take up the practice of quilting, transmitted be generations of women, to explore how, why and with what effects TRYSPACES participants were able to compare their research findings and urban experiences.