Theodore Schatzki

From Geography

Theodore Schatzki is together with Giddens, Bourdieu and ... part of the practice turn in Geography. The practice turn is a shift from, action-centered theories to practice-centered theory and a shift from spatial action to spatial practice. The Theory of Spatial Practice goes beyond the post-structuralistic dualisms of subject-object, structure-agency etc. Central Schatzki's approach is practice.

Action and Practice

Action is according to Weber an activity that makes sense. It has a subjective meaning for the person(s) involved (Werlen, 2009) Practice is a set of doings and sayings, which almost always constitutes further action. But it is broader than sayings and doings alone. It uses the expressions 'task' and 'project' to impose some order on this wider set. (Schatski, 2002) A practice is a routinized form of behaviour which consists of several elements, interconnected to one other: forms of bodily activities, forms of mental activities, 'things' and their use, a background knowledge in the form of understanding, know-how, states of emotion and motivational knowledge.(Reckwitz, 2002) Human action is contextualize

Practice Theory

Practice Theory is a part of the Cultural Theories, which consists of social theories that aim to explain or understand action and social order by referring to symbolic and cognitive structures. In Practice theory the social is not placed in mental qualities (idealism, phenomenology), nor in discourse (semantics, deconstruction, differentiation)nor in inter-action. But the social is placed in the practice. In Practice Theory there is a shift of the use of terminology, because the social is embodied in the practices: As said before the practices are routinized bodily activities, this includes the mental activities. An object, when used during a practice, is not subjected or less worthy than a mental or physical activity. They are both part of the same practice. The same goes for knowledge, which is also a part of the practice. Language in the practice theory is just one of the possible practices. (Reckwitz, 2002)

Books

Schatzki is the author of four books: Social Practices (1996), The Site of the Social (2002), Martin Heidegger: Theorist of Space (2007) and The Timespace of Human Activity (2010). In addition, he is author of numerous articles on Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and various topics in philosophy of action, social thought, and continental philosophy. https://philosophy.as.uky.edu/users/schatzki

References

• Werlen, B. (2009). Everyday regionalizations. In: International encyclopaedia for Human Geography. Elsevier.
• Rechwitz, A. (2002). Towards a theory of Social Practises. European Journal of Social Theory. vol. 5. (243-263)
• Schatski, T. (2002). The Site of the Social: A Philosophical Account of the Constitution of Social Life and Change Kentucky: Penn State University Press.