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Stepping from the wreckage: Geography, pragmatism and anti-representational theory

Jones, Owain

Authors

Owain Jones



Abstract

This paper draws out linkages between non-representational theory (NRT) and pragmatism. In doing so it sets NRT in a much wider, historical anti-representational movement. This should add momentum to its progress, and open up the considerable pragmatist and neo-pragmatist heritage as a resource for dealing with questions about methods, politics and ethics that NRT raises. Firstly I outline pragmatism and NRT to ground the discussion. Secondly the convergences between pragmatism, poststructuralism and the later work of Wittgenstein are considered. After that I go through a series of working principles which can underpin what is being termed anti-representational theory. These include; the primacy of life and action, pluralism, materiality/spatiality/temporality/relationality, anti-essentialism, creativity, collectivity, fallibilism, and disorder in method. I conclude by considering anti-representational knowledge production through radical incrementalism underpinned by witness and narrative. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Jones, O. (2008). Stepping from the wreckage: Geography, pragmatism and anti-representational theory. Geoforum, 39(4), 1600-1612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.10.003

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jul 1, 2008
Journal Geoforum
Print ISSN 0016-7185
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 39
Issue 4
Pages 1600-1612
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.10.003
Keywords pragmatism, non-representational theory, anti-representational theory, geography
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1019571
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.10.003

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