From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: a scoping review

Bell, S. L., Foley, R., Houghton, F., Maddrell, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2941-498X and Williams, A. M. (2018) From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: a scoping review. Social Science & Medicine, 196. pp. 123-130. ISSN 0277-9536 doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.035

Abstract/Summary

The term 'therapeutic landscapes' was first coined by health geographer, Wilbert Gesler, in 1992 to explore why certain environments seem to contribute to a healing sense of place. Since then, the concept and its applications have evolved and expanded as researchers have examined the dynamic material, affective and socio-cultural roots and routes to experiences of health and wellbeing in specific places. Drawing on a scoping review of studies of these wider therapeutic landscapes published between 2007 and 2016, this paper explores how, where, and to what benefit the 'therapeutic landscapes' concept has been applied to date, and how such applications have contributed to its critical evolution as a relevant and useful concept in health geography. Building on themes included in two earlier (1999, 2007) edited volumes on Therapeutic Landscapes, we summarise the key themes identified in the review, broadly in keeping with the core material, social, spiritual and symbolic dimensions of the concept initially posited by Gesler. Through this process, we identify strengths and limitations of the concept and its applications, as well as knowledge gaps and promising future directions for work in this field, reflecting critically on its value within health geography and its potential contribution to wider interdisciplinary discussions and debates around 'healthy' spaces, places, and related practices. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.]

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/74329
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Uncontrolled Keywords	Scoping review, Therapeutic assemblage, Therapeutic landscapes, Therapeutic mobilities, Wellbeing
Publisher	Elsevier
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item