Theorising the environment
- 'There is nothing so practical as a good theory'
- Kurt Lewin
On the whole, those who work in homelessness and similar fields will be practical people, busy with 'the day job', and interested in 'theorising' only in so far as it is relevant to their work. Theorising the environment may then seem to some an irrelevance, a luxury, or a distraction from the work, when that work is construed as being essentially support or therapeutic work with individual clients.
Many, none the less, do have an interest in research, and of being part of the research effort that will make the work more effective.
Those those who have been struck by the apparent dynamism of the psychologically informed environment concepts in particular may be interested in a new discussion group now forming, which is focused on understanding the nature of the human/environment interface.
The theory discussion takes as its starting point Bowlby's attachment theory, but takes in interactionist philosophy (especially the social phenomenology of Alfred Schutz and Hermann Schmitz), and the new thinking on biology that goes by the name of biosemiotics.
For those unfamiliar with these foundational conceptual frameworks, there will be plenty of opportunity to explore these ideas; and the option of forum discussions, hosted here on the PIElink.
For those interested to explore more, go to:
- What is an environment? HERE
- The centrality of relationships emerges : HERE
- Relationships and complex needs : HERE
- 'The DNA of human environments/' : HERE
- The Umwelt : HERE
If interested in the discussion, contact Robin at: robin {@] pielink {dot} net.
