(Re)enchanting geography? the nature of being critical and the character of critique in human geography

Tara Woodyer, H. Geoghegan

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Enchantment is a term frequently used by human geographers to express delight, wonder or that which cannot be simply explained. However, it is a concept that has yet to be subject to sustained critique, specifically how it can be used to progress geographic thought and praxis. This paper makes sense of and space for the unintelligibility of enchantment in order to encourage a less repressed, cheerful way of engaging with the geographies of the world. We track back through our disciplinary heritage to explore how geographers have employed enchantment as a force through which the world inspires affective attachment. We review the terrain of the debate surrounding recent geographical engagements with enchantment, focusing on the nature of being critical and the character of critique in human geography, offering a new 'enchanted' stance to our geographical endeavours. We argue that the moment of enchantment has not passed with the current challenging climate; if anything, it is more pressing.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)195-214
    Number of pages20
    JournalProgress in Human Geography
    Volume37
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Apr 2013

    Keywords

    • academic stance
    • affirmative critique
    • disenchantment
    • enchantment
    • humanistic geography

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