Abstract
The recent, rich scholarship on rhythms, following in the wake of Lefebvre’s book Éléments de rythmanalyse (1992), proves that rhythmanalysis is an important sensitising notion and research technique. Despite its increasing recognition, however, rhythmanalysis has not yet become a proper science as its proponents had hoped. In this article, we argue that rhythmanalysis could benefit from being further developed and integrated into a wider science of territories. What research must attain is, we suggest, not simply a recording, description or analysis of rhythms; instead, the goal is to capture the life of rhythms as they enter territorial formations. A neo-vitalistic conception, in other words, could enrich the standard social-scientific understanding of the relation between rhythms and territories. More specifically, we submit that the notion of rhythm could be explored not only in terms of the recurrent patterns of association it defines, but also with essential reference to the intensive situations and moments it generates and, in the end, territorialises.
Highlights
Since the slim but important contribution on rhythmanalysis by Henri Lefebvre was published in 1992, shortly after its author’s death—and especially since its translation into English in 2004 curated by Stuart Elden (Lefebvre 1992, 2004)—we have seen a wide variety of different studies in rhythmanalysis, often with an empirical focus (e.g., McCormack 2002, 2014; Highmore 2005; Cronin 2006; Edensor and Holloway 2008; Middleton 2009; Edensor 2010, 2012; Prior 2011; Lin 2012; Simpson 2012; Schwanen et al 2012; Smith and Hetherington 2013a, b; Wunderlich 2013; Goh 2014; Yeo and Heng 2014; Mulícek et al 2015; Paiva 2016; Reid-Musson 2017). This scholarship proves that rhythmanalysis is extremely important and helpful as a sensitising attitude and a research technique in the social and spatial sciences
We argue that social scientific scholarship should move beyond rhythmanalysis
We suggest, a benefit could come from further developing and integrating such insights into an enlarged science of territories and territorial formations
Summary
Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of rhythms in social and urban studies, rhythmanalysis has not yet become a proper science or a discipline in a specific sense, as its proponents had hoped. Since the slim but important contribution on rhythmanalysis by Henri Lefebvre was published in 1992, shortly after its author’s death—and especially since its translation into English in 2004 curated by Stuart Elden (Lefebvre 1992, 2004)—we have seen a wide variety of different studies in rhythmanalysis, often with an empirical focus (e.g., McCormack 2002, 2014; Highmore 2005; Cronin 2006; Edensor and Holloway 2008; Middleton 2009; Edensor 2010, 2012; Prior 2011; Lin 2012; Simpson 2012; Schwanen et al 2012; Smith and Hetherington 2013a, b; Wunderlich 2013; Goh 2014; Yeo and Heng 2014; Mulícek et al 2015; Paiva 2016; Reid-Musson 2017). Since the slim but important contribution on rhythmanalysis by Henri Lefebvre was published in 1992, shortly after its author’s death—and especially since its translation into English in 2004 curated by Stuart Elden (Lefebvre 1992, 2004)—we have seen a wide variety of different studies in rhythmanalysis, often with an empirical focus (e.g., McCormack 2002, 2014; Highmore 2005; Cronin 2006; Edensor and Holloway 2008; Middleton 2009; Edensor 2010, 2012; Prior 2011; Lin 2012; Simpson 2012; Schwanen et al 2012; Smith and Hetherington 2013a, b; Wunderlich 2013; Goh 2014; Yeo and Heng 2014; Mulícek et al 2015; Paiva 2016; Reid-Musson 2017) This scholarship proves that rhythmanalysis is extremely important and helpful as a sensitising attitude and a research technique in the social and spatial sciences.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
