Call for papers Special issue: The social, symbolic and imaginary dimensions of spatial representations
Call for papers
Special issue: The social, symbolic and imaginary dimensions of spatial representations
Papers on social representations
Edited by: Valérie Haas (Université Lumière Lyon 2) and Thierry Ramadier (Université de Strasbourg)
Spatial representations are often discussed as cognitive images that guide movements and, from an interactionist perspective, are structured by everyday mobilities. When practices are not at the forefront of attention, environmental and symbolic atmospheres take center stage in the geographical experience. Even when connecting social and physical environments, these approaches all envision spatial representations from a bio-physicalist point of view of adaptation and orientation of practices. The social qualities of space are thus treated on par with its physical qualities. The knowledge employed by cognitive mapping is seen as rational, rooted in lived experiences, and constructed at an individual scale. However, the assessment of places, especially their spatial configuration, as a social construct anchored in the elaboration and sharing of knowledge and of perceptions within a social group is rarer. It is even less common to approach these spatial configurations as a dimension of relationships between social groups.
However, the paradigm of social representations (Moscovici, 1961/1976) applied to spatial representations (Jodelet and Milgram, 1976; Jodelet, 1982) has been the focus of some research. Applying this paradigm to space reveals that the social dimensions of place and speaker identification structure spatial representations (de Alba, 2018), fully embedding cognitive mapping in the realm of social sciences (Ramadier, 2022a). This line of research also highlights the significance of symbolic and imaginary qualities attributed to places in cognitive mapping. Noteworthy works in this area explore the links between collective memory and space (Haas, 2002, 2004; Jodelet, 2015; de Alba, M. and Dargentas, M., 2022). Additionally, social trajectories (Clementi, 2022) or simply social positions (Dias and Ramadier, 2018) also turn geographical space representations into social representations. Here, the emphasis is on differences between social groups. In other words, the processes at play in cognitive mapping correspond to social structure (Ramadier, 2022b).
Following the international colloquium held in Lyon (see https://cartotete2023.sciencesconf.org/), the goal of this special issue proposed for Papers on Social Representations is to present recent developments in the field. We welcome papers focusing on the social, symbolic, or imaginary aspects of spatial representations, presenting original and recent work in this area. How do social groups with a shared sense of proximity also share spatial representations of their living spaces? How does this manifest in their collective practices? What role does collective memory and forgetting play in shaping these representations? How are social distance and conflicts reflected in these spatial representations?
Various disciplines can contribute to addressing these questions, and we welcome contributions from a range of disciplines for this multidisciplinary special issue. Articles may be submitted in English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish, but since the thematic issue is in English, contributors will need to translate their submissions for publication at their own expense if not originally written in English.
Deadlines:
- January 15, 2024: submission of a 750-1000 words abstract (to the contacts below).
- February 1, 2023: feedback on abstracts from the editors of the thematic issue.
- March 30, 2024: receipt of first draft of articles (5000-8000 words)
- May 15, 2024: first assessment of articles sent to contributors
- July 10, 2024: receipt of second version of articles
- September 15, 2024: editorial committee notifies contributors.
- December 2024: release of thematic issue
Contacts: valerie.haas@univ-lyon2.fr ; thierryr@unistra.fr
