Embodied Encounters with Virtual Reality in Geography Education

Virtual reality (VR) constitutes a deeply embodied mode of communication that has gained significant interest and application in geography education and research. In this article, we engage with recent theoretical work to conceptualize VR as a communicative encounter and centralize the role of embodiment therein. We argue that different bodies experience VR in different ways, which raises questions about the potential inequalities of access and experience among users. To further articulate this, we draw on a qualitative study investigating the subjective experiences of participants engaging in a series of VR field trips to sites of difficult heritage. Through interviews and participant observation, we discuss the embodied dynamics at play in the course of VR field trips and how these media dynamics might affect equality of access and learning within geography curricula in higher education. By considering the various biases toward the bodies of particular users, our findings challenge assumptions that incorporating VR into geography education improves accessibility, and we conclude by providing suggestions on how encountering VR can become more inclusive in embodied terms.