Walking in Relation

A Theoretical and Methodological Cross-Cultural Approach

Abstract

Rooted in post-qualitative inquiry, walking as both method and theory transcends its physicality to become rhythm and relationality. This paper situates walking as an embodied practice of resistance and reimagination, aligned with Springgay and Truman’s critical walking methodologies, which insist on the socio-material, political, and ethical dimensions of place.  Walking makes the abstraction of theory actionable, offering a framework to ground into and engage with the contemporary crises in education and beyond. It resists static epistemologies, foregrounds relationality, and reimagines theory as an embodied, iterative process responsive to the socio-political urgencies of our time.

This paper situates walking as both a theory and a method of inquiry, exploring its potential for healing and resistance, connecting Springgay and Truman's notion of 'walking-with' as a relational and political act that emphasizes accountability and shared engagement. I trace the intersections of memory, trauma, and transformation through stories and meaning-making of diasporic Jewish migrations, the survival from the Khmer Rouge, and the ceremonial practices of the Diné and Hopi peoples. Walking threads these narratives together, embodying a rhythm that carries the weight of history while opening pathways for renewal.

As a reorienting practice, walking attunes our bodies to the cadence of the land and its stories, fostering deeper engagement with how colonial displacement and resilience shapes landscapes. Disrupting linear colonial narratives allows us to reshape how we understand material culture and identity.

By proposing walking as a fluid, situated theory, I challenge positivist research frameworks and advocate for an inclusive, relational approach to knowledge production. Walking becomes resistance and reconciliation—a way to navigate socio-political crises and reimagine how we learn, connect, and move through the world.