“Being on the Boundary”: The Periphery as a Laboratory

The text explores the complexity of “periphery” in its multiple meanings and interpretations through a reflection on the possibility of conceiving the periphery as central, a boundary place that holds the complexity of human experience and offers opportunities for innovation and creativity. Starting from the Greek etymological meaning of the word, the text suggests other meanings, such as circular movement, wandering, recovering and resisting. The periphery, as a boundary site, can be a laboratory for learning to deal with conflict creatively, to explore the complexity of relating to the other, and to recognize the value of limits. This approach recognizes that conflict is not necessarily violence but can be an opportunity to create new spaces for dialogue and understanding.