Psychogeography

Psychogeography is "The study of specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals", according to the article Preliminary Problems in Constructing a Situation, in Situationniste Internationale No. 1 (1958).

Psychogeographers in the West, ie Europe and America, have traditionally formed in groups or associations, sometimes consisting of just one member. Known groups, some of whom are still operating, include

• Manchester Area Psychogeographic
• Nottingham Psychogeographical Unit
• Greenwich Psychogeographical Order
• London Psychogeographical Association
• evoL PsychogeogrAphix
• New York Psychogeographical Association
• The Washington Psychogeography Association
• Brooklyn Psychogeographical Association
• Virtual Psychogeographical Association

Variations in the practice have included Debordianian , Literary , Generative or Algorithmic and Quantum forms.

There has historically been a division within the body of psychogeographers, with various factions being labelled academic, occultist, avant-garde, new age, recuperators and some revolutionary.

In May, 2003, psychogeographers from the Western countries gathered in New York for the first Psy-Geo-Conflux, an annual event dedicated to current artistic and social investigations in psychogeography. This was timed to co-incide with a Talk:Cartographic Congress in Limehouse, London.

See also: Situationists, Lettrists

External links

• http://www.unpopular.demon.co.uk/lpa/organisations/lpa.html
• http://psychogeography.org.uk
• http://socialfiction.org
• Psy-Geo Board, online psychogeography forum
• Manchester Area Psychogeographic http://map.twentythree.us