Trajectories

From Geography

Trajectories are a term elaborated by Michel de Certeau. It refers to the the paths created by consumers through their signifying practices (de Certeau, 1984, p. xviii). Trajectories suggest a movement in space. This space in which people move is constructed, ordered and functionalized. The path that people must follow when they choose their trajectory, can contain unforeseeable and unreadable obstacles. These trajectories are composed with the languages of everday life such as the vocabularies of the media. Also they are subordinated to the prescribed orderly forms such as time schedules. Because of this trajectories do not take other interests and desires into account that are not determined nor captured by the system in which they appear.

As earlier mentioned trajectories were intended to suggest a movement. Beside this they can also cause a flattening out. When you speak of a trajectory this means you speak about the points in space through which the trajectory passes, for example point A and point B, and not the figure that these points form in space. Because of this information could get lost. To avoid this reduction, Certeau made a distinction between tactics and strategies. These concepts will be further explained in other wiki pages.

References:

de Certeau, M.(1984) Introduction in the practice of everyday life. [Electronic version] Berkely: university of California press.

Published by Inge Schoenmakers & Lotte Brouwer. Enhanced by User:BoudewijnIdema