Walking in Relation: A Cross-Cultural Theoretical and Methodological Approach

• In Event: 21081 - Section on Sociology of Body and Embodiment Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 4: Bodies Reimagined

Abstract

Rooted in post-qualitative inquiry, walking as both method and theory transcends its physicality
to become rhythm and relationality. This paper situates walking as an embodied practice of
resistance and reimagination, aligned with Springgay and Truman’s critical walking
methodologies, which insist on the socio-material, political, and ethical dimensions of place.
Walking makes the abstraction of theory actionable, offering a framework to ground into and
engage with the contemporary crises in education and beyond. It resists static epistemologies,
foregrounds relationality, and reimagines theory as an embodied, iterative process responsive to
the socio-political urgencies of our time.
This paper situates walking as both a theory and a method of inquiry, exploring its potential for
healing and resistance, exploring its potential for healing and resistance, connecting Springgay
and Truman's notion of 'walking-with' as a relational and political act that emphasizes
accountability and shared engagement. I trace the intersections of memory, trauma, and
transformation through stories and meaning-making of diasporic Jewish migrations, the survival
from the Khmer Rouge, and the ceremonial practices of the Diné and Hopi peoples. Walking
threads these narratives together, embodying a rhythm that carries the weight of history while
opening pathways for renewal.
As a reorienting practice, walking attunes our bodies to the cadence of the land and its stories,
fostering deeper engagement with how colonial displacement and resilience shapes landscapes.
Disrupting linear colonial narratives allows us to reshape how we understand material culture
and identity.
By proposing walking as a fluid, situated theory, I challenge positivist research frameworks and
advocate for an inclusive, relational approach to knowledge production. Walking becomes
resistance and reconciliation—a way to navigate socio-political crises and reimagine how we
learn, connect, and move through the world.

Author

• Sarai M Richter, Arizona State University