A Talk on ‘A Panel Discussion on the Spatial Turn in Psychology’ by Dr Alex Bridger, Dr Chan Arun-Pina and Dr Sabah Siddiqui|

About the talk

The spatial turn in psychology marks a shift away from conventional, individual-centered models, instead highlighting the profound ways in which physical spaces, geographic locations, and patterns of movement influence the formation of identity, the dynamics of social relationships, and the experience of subjectivity. By integrating perspectives from disciplines such as geography, anthropology, and urban studies, this approach pushes psychology beyond its traditional boundaries, urging scholars to consider how mental life is shaped by broader spatial and political structures. It invites an exploration of how environments—whether rural or urban, historic or contemporary, built or natural—mediate psychological experiences, shaping both individual and collective well-being. Through this lens, psychology becomes a tool for understanding not only personal narratives but also the socio-spatial forces that structure everyday existence.

About the speakers

Dr Alex Bridger is a Senior Lecturer in Social and Community Psychology at Leeds Beckett University in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom and was recently involved in a project with the Jo Cox Foundation, various community groups and civic organisations. Bridger’s research and teaching interests centre around spatial and visual methodologies as well as political analysis. Talk: In and Beyond Psychology via Psychogeography.
Dr Chan Arun-Pina (they/them) is a Postdoctoral Visiting Scholar at the City Institute at York University in Toronto, Canada and the creator of C5 Workroom, a transdisciplinary studio informed by their professional training in urban geography, visual art, and architecture. Talk: Autoethnographic Re-drawing: The bridge connecting psychogeography with creative geographies.
Dr Sabah Siddiqui is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Krea University who is interested in experimenting with qualitative research methods in psychology as a way to explore mental health, well-being, and human experience beyond the confines of the individual psyche. Talk: Making spaces in psychology: An example from rural India.

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