ABSTRACT. This paper argues that the spatial distance between individuals within a given milieu is not neutral but carries a semiotic and political significance. Building on Deleuze and Guattari’s conception of territory, I contend that territory is not merely a geographical entity but a coded space structured by major political forces. In this framework, cultural space is not only shaped by linguistic and semiotic domains but also by the spatial organisation imposed by political power: individuals are subject to control through the structuring of space, spatial behaviours that challenge territorial norms are marginalised, reinforcing political hierarchies. To conceptualise this, I introduce the notion of diastemic space, defined as the structured, politically inscribed interval that separates individuals within a territory. This space determines both the physical proximity allowed between individuals and their capacity to act in society. Minoritised groups, occupying less impactful intervals, experience diminished agency, whereas dominant groups consolidate control by structuring the spatial grid. Diastemic space, therefore, functions as both a medium of cultural communication and a mechanism of territorialisation. By revisiting proxemics through the lens of Deleuze, Guattari and cultural geography, this paper seeks to illuminate the semiotic role of spatial organisation in shaping power relations and societal cohesion.

Keywords: territory; culture; space; language; politics

How to cite: Matti, F. A. (2026). Societal distances and intervals: Politics and the meaning of space. Knowledge Cultures, 14(1), 104–127. https://doi.org/10.22381/kc14120266

Received January 5, 2026 • Received in revised form February 3, 2026
Accepted March 31, 2026 • Available online April 1, 2026