engineering

Non-representational theory

Non-representational theory is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Non-representational theory rather than just read about it. In short: Non-representational theory is a form of theory developed in human geography. It is the work of Nigel Thrift.

Key takeaways

Non-representational theory belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Non-representational theory to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Non-representational theory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Non-representational theory is a form of theory developed in human geography. It is the work of Nigel Thrift. The theory is based on using social theory, conducting geographical research, and the 'embodied experience.'

Definition Instead of studying and representing social relationships, non-representational theory focuses upon practices – how human and nonhuman formations are enacted or performed – not simply on what is produced. "First, it valorizes those processes that operate before … conscious, reflective thought … [and] second, it insists on the necessity of not prioritizing representations as the primary epistemological vehicles through which knowledge is extracted from the world". Recent studies have examined a wide range of activities including dance, musical performance, walking, gardening, rave, listening to music and children's play.

Post-structuralist origins This is a post-structuralist theory inspired in part by the ideas of the physicist-philosopher Niels Bohr, and thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Bruno Latour, Michel Serres and Karen Barad, and by phenomenonologists such as Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. More recently it considers views from political science (including ideas about radical democracy) and anthropological discussions of the material dimensions of human life. It parallels the conception of "hybrid geographies" developed by Sarah Whatmore.

Criticism Critics have suggested that Thrift's use of the term "non-representational theory" is problematic, and that other non-representational theories could be developed. Richard G. Smith said that Baudrillard's work could be considered a "non-representational theory", for example, which has fostered some debate. In 2005, Hayden Lorimer (Glasgow University) said that the term "more-than-representational" was preferable.

References

Further reading Macpherson, H. (2010), Non‐Representational Approaches to Body–Landscape Relations. Geography Compass, 4: 1-13. doi:10.1111/j.1749-8198.2009.00276.x Boyd, C. P., Edwardes, C., eds. (2019), Non-Representational Theory and the Creative Arts (Palgrave Macmillan, London)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Non-representational theory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Non-representational theory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Non-representational theory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Non-representational theory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Non-representational theory

In research: Non-representational theory appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Non-representational theory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Non-representational theory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Human geography, Post-structuralism, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Non-representational theory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Non-representational theory in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Non-representational theory means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Non-representational theory out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Non-representational theory in simple terms?

Non-representational theory is a form of theory developed in human geography. It is the work of Nigel Thrift.

Why does Non-representational theory matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Non-representational theory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Non-representational theory.