Neglected rural geography: Exploring the quiet politics of 'out-dwelling'

In: Environment and planning. C, Politics and space, Volume 37, Issue 2, p. 219-236

Abstract

Taking the example of leisure in rural Scotland, this article makes a call for a renewed appreciation of a radical rural and a subsequent recognition of the potential for quiet politics. In doing so, it addresses the overlooked, yet potentially progressive, even radical, nature of 'out-dwelling' as a political endeavour. These 'out-dwellings' are twofold, encompassing the distinct yet complementary cultures of Huts and Bothies in rural Scotland. There is within these cultures a rising tide of discontent with contemporary society and a subsequent push for change. These political eruptions emphasise the spatial politics of everyday leisure and land where alterity to the imagined geography of a static, wild, romantic Scotland, driven by the landed estates, emerges as a key driver for change. This argument for a radical rural will be structured around four themes; political 'out-dwelling', transgressive mobility, conspicuous consumption and land ownership.