(Dis)embodied geographies

TLDR

Geographers are increasingly exploring corporeality, with the body emerging as a prominent focus in many geographic studies. The article aims to step back and interrogate the question of what constitutes a body. The article surveys recent embodiment theories—phenomenological, psychoanalytic, and inscriptive—critiques Cartesian mind‑body dualism in geography, examines its costs, and surveys literature that explicitly foregrounds the body. The reviewed literature promises to generate new insights into power, knowledge, and social relations between people and places.

Abstract

Geographers are beginning to show interest in corporeality. The body is becoming evident in numerous geographical studies. It is timely, therefore, momentarily to ‘step back’ and address the question ‘what is a body?’ This article begins with an examination of some recent approaches to understanding embodiment – for example, phenomenological, psychoanalytic and ‘inscriptive’ approaches. Secondly, it reviews the work of geographers who claim that a Cartesian separation between mind and body underpins geographical discourse. Also discussed in this section are some of the ‘costs’ of this dualism underpinning geographical discourse. Finally, readers are alerted to a range of recent geographical literature in which the body is made explicit. This literature has the potential to prompt new understandings of power, knowledge and social relationships between people and places.