A Take on and Usage of The Third Space

The concept of “the third space” or “liminal space” has been gaining more and more popularity lately, especially online. There have been numerous trends of photos that represent “liminal spaces”, various forums and articles just mention it in passing without even stopping to explain it - presenting a very bold assumption that most people already know -, and it has even appeared as memes on some social media channels.  

I have encountered the concept of the third space for the first time in 2012 at the European Graduate School as I was studying for my Master’s in Expressive Arts Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding. Back then, I didn’t know the term, even though it was an essential part of my practice. I was delighted to find another technical explanation to what I do and another entry into my attempt to pin down a method to my madness. 

So what is The Third Space or Liminal Space exactly? 

I’m not going to try to define the third space. I’m sure that you will find many sources online that can present a better definition than I will be able to provide. Instead, I will try to explain the concept from the perspective of how I currently use it in my work and life. It will be extremely simplistic, especially compared to the depth and philosophy the term can carry. But, we have already established that I’m a simple man who likes simple things. 

I was first introduced to the concept within the framework of Expressive Arts Therapy. The master’s degree I was doing was all about bringing the concepts and theories of Expressive Arts Therapy to peacebuilding processes. The way I could understand it and in a way that fit my work, I framed the third space like this: if reality and the real world are considered our first space, and let’s say the pure act of imagination holds a second space of our existence, then the third space is that space in between. The space that is not real and not imaginary, yet at the same time, both real and imaginary. The easiest way I was able to understand it, at first, was by realizing that it holds attributes and characteristics from both spaces. However, later on, I started realizing that it’s more than just that. That was a good start for my simple brain to hold the tip of the thread of a rather complex term and I’ve been pulling on that thread and discovering its length and texture and usages ever since. 

So at this point in my life, my working definition of the third space is a space that is neither real nor imaginary, yet both real and imaginary, at the same, and all the time. Thus, third spaces become laboratories and playgrounds for me. Places in which we can experiment/explore, practice/drill, create,… at very little or no risk. When exiting the third space, we can choose what to take with us and what to leave behind without having had to commit to anything or without having put anything of value on the line. In that light, some examples of third spaces that I try to create or be part of are rehearsal spaces, shows, dialogue/mediation/negotiation/etc… sessions, training rooms, dreams, art creation processes, and the likes. 

It might seem that the third space is more important in the artistic process; in creating a show or performing it, in being in a certain flow, when in the process of bringing something to life from scratch. It might seem more important in the process of watching a performance or reading a book or looking at a painting or listening to a song or the likes. And that is true to a certain extent. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that the third space is equally important in my approach to peacebuilding, at various levels and layers of its existence.  

Imagine how much more powerful and impactful a certain peacebuilding project can be if its creation process was a “third space”. Imagine how much deeper a dialogue session can go if all the participants feel that they are in a third space. Imagine if you could evaluate the impact of your project in a third space and then bridge back to numbers or other analytical indicators. When I look at the intersection of arts and peacebuilding as a philosophical approach as opposed to, and/or in parallel to, artistic activities that can contribute to the peacebuilding process, this is one of the lenses through which I look at it. Peacebuilding process require a laboratory in which we can experiment with different approaches without putting at risk more than what already is. A lot of peacebuilding projects or activities include training, and what is a good training if not immersing the participants in a third space? A conflict analysis process doesn’t have to be an artistic endeavor. Yet, if it is taking place in a third space, enough “arts” will be present in the process. And that will make me a very happy person since peacebuilding (and in the case of this example, conflict analysis specifically) is an art, a science, a feat of engineering, and whether we like it or not, a business.