Materiality and Social Practices as Collective Urban Accomplishments: Receiving War Refugees from Ukraine

The objective of the chapter is to examine the role of materiality in urban hosting and dwelling practices, particularly amidst dynamic changes. Our analysis focuses on a unique case study (Kraków, Poland) where a sudden crisis triggered shifts in these practices, profoundly impacting the emotional and meaningful aspects of urban dwelling and disrupting territorial communities. Through this case study, we gain insights into the evolution of everyday life practices in the city from care- and solidarity-saturated practices to those where the enforcement of residential rules and sanctions take precedence, with materiality playing a significant role in this transition. Employing practice theory as our analytical framework, we aim to capture and analyse hosting and dwelling practices across three time intervals: immediately post-war outbreak in Ukraine (March–May 2022), during the adaptation to war (July–September 2022), and as newcomers integrated into the community over time (September 2023).