Staff profile

Paul’s research interests lie at the intersection of geography, philosophy and social and cultural theory. His work focuses on the development of specifically geographic engagements with phenomenology, post-phenomenology and deconstruction. In the context of contemporary geographic work his work has been associated with the development of 'non-representational' theories.

Paul’s current research has three main themes. First; an focus on the ‘radically passive’ or non-intentional nature of corporeal existence, (for example, vulnerability, susceptibility, suffering, lassitude, sleep, boredom), and the existential, ethical and political significance of these aspects of being a body. Second; an examination of the act of bearing witness or giving testimony to traumatic or so-called ‘unspeakable’ events. Third; an on-going interest in the implications of finitude and mourning for social and political thought.

Paul joined the Geography Department in 2000. He completed his BA (hons) in Geography (1994) at the Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, and an MSc in Society and Space (1996) and PhD (2000) at the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol.

• affect and emotion
• deconstruction
• dwelling
• embodiment
• ethics
• phenomenology
• post-structuralism
• subjectivity
• testimony

Chapter in book

• The broken thread: on being still.
  
  Harrison, P. (2010). The broken thread: on being still. In D. Bissell & G. Fuller (Eds.), Stillness in a Mobile World.. Routledge.
• Testimony and the truth of the other.
  
  Harrison, P. (2010). Testimony and the truth of the other. In B. Anderson & P. Harrison (Eds.), Taking-Place. Non Representational Theories and Geography. (pp. 161-179). Ashgate Publishing.
• The Promise of Non-Representational Theories
  
  Anderson, B., & Harrison, P. (2010). The Promise of Non-Representational Theories. In B. Anderson & P. Harrison (Eds.), Taking-place : non-representational theories and geography. (pp. 1-36). Ashgate Publishing.
• Poststructuralist Theories.
  
  Harrison, P. (2006). Poststructuralist Theories. In S. Aitken & G. Valentine (Eds.), Approaches to Human Geography. (pp. 122-133). SAGE Publications.

Edited book

• Taking-Place: Non-Representational Theories and Geography
  
  Anderson, B., & Harrison, P. (Eds.). (2016). Taking-Place: Non-Representational Theories and Geography. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315611792

Journal Article

• Strange witness: Rachel Whiteread’s art of the immemorial
  
  Harrison, P. (2022). Strange witness: Rachel Whiteread’s art of the immemorial. Scottish Geographical Journal, 138(3-4). https://doi.org/10.1080/14702541.2022.2137734
• After affirmation, or, being a loser. On vitalism, sacrifice, and cinders
  
  Harrison, P. (2015). After affirmation, or, being a loser. On vitalism, sacrifice, and cinders. GeoHumanities : Space, Place, and the Humanities., 1(2), 285-306. https://doi.org/10.1080/2373566x.2015.1109469
• Remaining Still
  
  Harrison, P. (2009). Remaining Still. M/C/Journal/:/A/Journal/of/Media/and/Culture., 12(1).
• In the absence of practice
  
  Harrison, P. (2009). In the absence of practice. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 27(6), 987-1009. https://doi.org/10.1068/d7907
• Corporeal remains: vulnerability, proximity, and living on after the end of the world.
  
  Harrison, P. (2008). Corporeal remains: vulnerability, proximity, and living on after the end of the world. Environment and Planning A, 40(2), 423-445. https://doi.org/10.1068/a391
• 'How shall I say it...?' Relating the nonrelational
  
  Harrison, P. (2007). ’How shall I say it...?’ Relating the nonrelational. Environment and Planning A, 39(3), 590-608. https://doi.org/10.1068/a3825
• The space between us: Opening remarks on the concept of dwelling
  
  Harrison, P. (2007). The space between us: Opening remarks on the concept of dwelling. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 25(4), 625-647. https://doi.org/10.1068/d365t
• Questioning Affect and Emotion
  
  Anderson, B., & Harrison, P. (2006). Questioning Affect and Emotion. Area, 38(3), 333-335. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4762.2006.00699.x
• The Caesura: remarks on Wittgenstein's interruption of theory, or, why practices elude explanation
  
  Harrison, P. (2002). The Caesura: remarks on Wittgenstein’s interruption of theory, or, why practices elude explanation. Geoforum, 33(4), 487-503. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-7185%2802%2900032-5
• Enacting geographies
  
  Dewsbury, J., Harrison, P., Rose, M., & Wylie, J. (2002). Enacting geographies. Geoforum, 33(4), 437-440. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-7185%2802%2900029-5
• Making Sense: embodiment and the sensibilities of the everyday.
  
  Harrsion, P. (2000). Making Sense: embodiment and the sensibilities of the everyday. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 18, 497-517. https://doi.org/10.1068/d195t