Gerhard Friedrich, The “Spatial Turn” in the current debate of human sciences in Germany

 

The genesis of a new and critical concept of space develops in the wake of a postcolonial geography which is regarded as at the service of a critical geopolitics. The “spatial turn” starts from there. Then the new emphasis upon the dimension of space originates in the postcolonial revaluation of those spaces that are traditionally considered marginal. The aim is the criticism of the Eurocentric division of the world into centre and periphery and the main practical goal is to oppose to the hegemony of ‘strong powers’ the revaluation of local cultures, according to which space becomes synonym of resistance against the unidimensionality of “real time” of globalization. Because, as Micheal Keith would say, “the margin refuses its place as ‘Other’”.

 

Published on: For an education as criticism of education N. 17  New Series – Year IX 2013