While a 'spatial turn' is increasingly recognised in the humanities and social sciences, the recent Covid pandemic has forced us all to reconsider our basic assumptions regarding space through the influence of social distancing. The contours of a spatial turn require much more attention in psychology and education, as well as social policy regarding children and young people. This lecture proposes key features of a spatial turn for psychology and education with regard to reconfiguration of relational and physical spaces in schools, in universities and in local communities.
This includes an acceleration of focus on children and young people's access to nature and spaces of silence.and on understanding taken for granted concepts of inclusion and community in spatial terms. A new postpandemic social contract building on a spatial turn is proposed as necessary to support the needs of children and young people in light of the pandemic stresses they endured.
