Tensions of place and opposing emblems of authenticity and marginal gentrification in Grünerløkka, Oslo

This study investigates multiple discourses surrounding the trends, changes and opposing emblematic signage of authenticity and the ideological constructions of place within Grünerløkka, Oslo, Norway. Our theoretical framework is grounded within the political economy of place and the sociolinguistics of authenticity. Three different datasets are used in the analysis: a) 60 interviews conducted with local residents, business owners and journalists; b) multilingual and multimodal signage found within this neighborhood's changing linguistic and semiotic landscapes; and c) texts from online media. We take both a discourse and multimodal analytic approach in our investigation of the circulating tensions of place found both ‘online’ and ‘offline’ of what constitutes an ‘authentic’ neighborhood to individuals. Our findings suggest that the conflicting ideologies of authenticity are bound to the pressures of change and resistance. These are inextricably connected to local consumer practices that are inevitably tied to global market forces and marketing strategies within the social and material constructions of urban landscapes.