Can walking be a radical method? A review of academic, artistic and activist writings on psychogeogr

In this paper it is argued that the situationist practice of psychogeographical walking can be used as a walking method not only in psychology but in other academic disciplines such as geography, art, literature and politics.

In this paper it is argued that the situationist practice of psychogeographical walking can be used as a walking method not only in psychology but in other academic disciplines such as geography, art, literature and politics. The following arenas of psychogeographical work will be reviewed including what the Situationists wrote about and what drifts they conducted, as well as writings and practices by various psychogeographical groups in the UK and internationally and academic writings from critical psychology, geography and feminism. It is argued that the psychogeographical practice of the dérive (drift) can be used as a political intervention to reflect on how we think about social environments and to begin to envision what future non-capitalist places could look like. It is also argued that the dynamics of a psychogeographical group can be used as a way to experiment with what non-capitalist, hierarchical groups could look like, in line with what the Situationists, as well as other radical, anarchic groups conceptualised in terms of self-managed, non-leadership led societies. A consideration of what makes walking a political intervention and how academic methods can be political is also considered in terms of thinking about how academic/intellectual ideas can change society and what needs to change in society.

WALK: Walking with dice
Following the talk, a psychogeographical walk will take place, where it will be explained how anti-navigational devices such as dice will be used to disorientate ourselves in Leeds city. The numbers on the dice will be replaced with directional markers such as ‘take the first left’, ‘turn right’ and ‘go straight on’. If people wish to do so at the end of the walk, we could discuss what we thought about using dice as anti-navigational devices and the extent to which such methods can be considered as situationist, radical and experimental. The walk will start at approximately 6.00pm and will last for an hour or so.

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