Poetics and space: developing a reflective landscape through imagery and human geography

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the notion of ‘thinking space’ as reflection through drawing on the concept of ‘landscape’ from a number of theoretical constructs. Firstly, the aim is to utilise geography (and to a lesser degree architecture) as a conceptual framework that creates structure to the creation of a reflective landscape derived from practice. As Andrews points out, although there have been a number of novel approaches to the understanding of spatial features in nursing, there has as yet been no real consideration of a geography of nursing. The work of Clandinin, however, has begun to address the concept of ‘knowledge landscapes’ in teaching. Secondly, the paper also constructs ‘landscape’ as the place where visual arts, literary arts and narrative intersect as a means to the prompting of, and representation of, the process of reflection in professional practice. Theories of domestic and geographical space, linked to artistry, image value and visual and literary arts are utilised to construct a framework for a reflective landscape of practice.