Reimagining de-urbanised madrasa and self-place interaction through the lens of psychogeography

Abstract By converging with James Sidaway’s emphasis on the psychogeographical tracings between nature and narrative in rural communities, this article explores the lived experiences of de-urbanised Muslim madrasa dwellers as an example. Psychogeography, a creative approach to understanding places that challenges conventional perceptions, serves as the lens through which these narratives are analysed. De-urbanised madrassas, typically situated on the peripheries of urban areas, highlight the relationship between human communities and their ecological surroundings. Traditionally recognised as spaces of worship and Islamic learning, madrassas are sustained by donor generosity. Drawing on personal narratives, this article contends that madrasa dwellers’ interactions with these spaces evoke a wide range of emotions, from fear, disorientation and aversion to comfort, safety and well-being, revealing diverse cognitive and mental representations of place. By expanding on this enquiry, the investigation suggests that their experiences may be more accurately understood as a symbolic conceptualisation of space, prompting the development of an alternative framework, the psychogeography of madrasa. By examining these ‘on-the-ground’ narratives, interpretations and lived experiences of inhabitants in de-urbanised settings, this article challenges conventional (and often oversimplified) depictions of Muslim spaces. Instead, it argues that the psychogeography of the madrasa fosters a panoptic vision, one that informs, permeates and sustains social engagement, cultivating collective interconnectedness and dynamic integration. This perspective stands in sharp contrast to the insular, frequently misrepresented associations of madrassas with violence, offering instead a more inclusive understanding of these spaces as centres of communal harmony and shared humanity.