Anthropology of Space

by Yasmin | Sep 5, 2018 | Anthropology of Space | 1 comment

 “The rhythm analyst will come to “listen” to a house, a street, a town,  as an

audience listens to a symphony”
 (Lefebvre:2004 cit Beaumont and Dart: 2010, Restless Cites xi).
 How do we define the relationship between culture and space?
 
The definition of Social Anthropology is the cross cultural study of human behaviour.
Integral to the birth of the discipline is the theoretical analysis of the similarities and
differences between people living in other societies, or to use an anthropological
expression “ to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange”.   Traditionally, early 19thc
classical anthropological studies were associated with the study of religion or kinship
structures of far-flung ‘exotic’ people and landscapes. However, there are many
anthropologies, and contemporary 21st c research is now often based at home. In the UK,
ethnographic fieldwork often explores the global impact of cultural and migratory
experiences, ranging from food, to language, body tattoos, music and the meaning of home
upon local societies and diaspora groups. For example in linguistic anthropology there is
currently major global research upon endangered languages; but research may fall across
the same multicultural society, where regional dialects are compared between Manchester,
Birmingham and Liverpool. Or as one of my students explored, the study of slang from
1990’s American hip-hop music to the community streets of South London today.   
The term ‘Culture’ is associated with the shared language, beliefs, values, behaviour and
knowledge of a society, and described by Raymond Williams (1973) in ‘Keywords’ as one of
the most complex words in the English language. We know that Culture is not a ‘thing’. It is
not static, nor does it only operate from 9-5 pm. The concept of Culture is a unique, dynamic
flow of multi-layered human experiences that shifts its meaning globally, nationally,
communally and individually, between people from different ages, classes, genders, socio-
economic and ethnic groups (hence  sub-culture, multicultural). Similarly, our concept and
understanding of Space is equally a multi-layered, slippery term to define.
How do you define your experience of space?
 
Space is often associated with outer space – linked to astronomy or physics, but consider
the social spaces we share on a daily basis but never acknowledge. Our language is littered
with spatial metaphors as people live, dwell, and construct ‘within’ a spatial environment,
public spaces are ‘separated’ from private ones, and we walk,  and even fly ‘through’ physical
and virtual  spaces (Salmond:1982). I often reflect on how our bodies connect with
the landscape to create our spatial rhythms and individual narratives  of  daily city life. The
urban,  mundane  spaces  which create a spatial restlessness that is almost tangible within
todays society.  Or conversely, the quiet familiarity of rural, village community spaces.
When travelling I am always struck by the cultural sounds and aromatic smells of ritual
ceremonies that produce that sense of sacred stillness associated with religious
architectural spaces. Curiously, however,  our experience and expression of these spaces
are completely ignored. Space doesn’t appear to have any significance at all. In general, we
don’t talk or think about it, and if we did, our western concept of Cartesian space would
appear as one large, natural, homogenous mass. However, as Lefebvre (1974) states in his
seminal publication ‘The Production of Space’ the concept and experience of space, like
culture, is not an abstract, passive container of human activity. Space needs to be reflected
upon in new ways and perspectives. Our experience of space is neither natural nor neutral.
Our experience  of space is neither natural nor neutral.
 
Consequently, within academia, since the 1990’s there has been a ‘Spatial Turn’.  This term
is used to describe an intellectual movement that places emphasis on a current concept
such as ‘place and space’ in the social sciences. It is closely linked with studies of history,
literature, cartography, and geography and has resulted in a wide ranging selection
of interdisciplinary academic texts, from urban planners to psychologists who explore the
relationship between space and human behaviour. At the core of my anthropology research
is an interdisciplinary analysis of space, place and the cultural landscape in India, South
Asia. I question how people decorate domestic spaces in relation to vernacular architecture
in South India, (anthropology of architecture), or those contradictory in-between
spaces, whether rural or urban markets to domestic thresholds (boundaries, marginal,
liminal  and contested spaces). Equally important are spaces of  ‘otherness’ (colonial and post-
colonial spaces) the relationship between space and place (anthropology of landscape) and
how spaces are mapped, politicised and classified from a western and indigenous
perspective (cartographic spaces). I am particularly interested in how our relationship with
space is created through our daily lived experience and the senses (phenomenological) and
our physical movement through space, (environmental perception, way finding) which relates
to how we think about and mentally perceive space (mental mapping, cognitive space,
psychology of space, spaces of memory). The way we inhabit and carve up
space domestically (anthropology of the home)  and how space is experienced  by men and
women cross-culturally (gendered space), ritual and ceremonial spaces (performative,
religious  spaces) to the aesthetics of space within photography and film (visual
anthropology) and migratory spaces of displacement are all themes I aim to address.
    
 
Whilst these spatial theories may be applied globally, it is the local, lived experience
of space, place and the landscape that will provide the shifting context to be explored. In
some shape or form,  the articles in this blog aim to reflect these spatial issues and
hopefully bring some thought to my research on the Anthropology of Space. If this text
inspires you, do share your thoughts and experiences. And if you are really interested in the
rich diversity of social anthropology and the spatial trajectories, you may want to register
for an anthropology course, get in touch via my Talking Streets contact form or social
media.
In January 2019 I deliver two 10 week Anthropology of Space courses in two locations over
three terms. 
I also run Talking Streets Spatial Rhythm workshops that explore indigenous art styles with
various dates and times.
https://uk.funzing.com/funz/indian-tribal-art-creative-workshop-12125
For further course information please see and click below.
1) Anthropology Dept, Short Courses Goldsmiths
University http://www.talkingstreets.co.uk/education/
2) Anthropology of Space at City Lit Adult
College http://www.talkingstreets.co.uk/education/
Yasmin Hales: All copyright reserved 2018.