Place, enchantment and social imaginaries: an experimental framework

Drawing from a recent doctoral research at the junction of architecture and sociology (Kunysz 2024), this presentation discusses the experimental theoretical framework that was built to investigate the transformations of two abandoned spaces’ social imaginaries ; Bavière Hospital (Liège, Belgium) and the Champ des Possibles railyard (Montréal, Québec).

This presentation first showcases the interconnections between three important but historically distinct conceptual schools: Place Studies, as established within humanistic geography (Tuan 1979), anthropology of enchantment (Winkin 2023) and social imaginary as explored within political philosophy (Castoriadis 1975).

We then explore how those three approaches can contribute to each other within a joint framework of theorization of places of attachment‘s social imaginaries. In particular, a focus is given to the operationalization of Castoridadis’s social imaginary at the service of ethnographical study and to the repoliticization of Winkin’s enchantment.

The presentation ends on some empirical findings resulting from the application of this framework and observations on the need for further scrutinity within Castoriadis’ conception of imaginary and creation within our transaesthetic age (Serroy, Lipovetski 2013) and the development of artistic and expressive research practises.