Flowing space: Movement as affect on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage

Pilgrimage movement on the Camino de Santiago transforms into an affective emotional experience, not just physical motion. This 'flowing space' concept reveals how continuous movement—enabled by structured infrastructure and trust in the path—creates feelings of freedom and self-transformation. The study, based on multi-site ethnographic fieldwork including participant observation, interviews, and material culture analysis, demonstrates that such experiences depend on material resources and physical ability to engage with the Camino's design. This research advances affect theory by showing movement itself as an affective force while highlighting how access to emotional spatial experiences is shaped by material conditions.

Ben-Shlomo, T. (2026). Flowing space: Movement as affect on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Emotion, Space and Society, 60, 101212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2026.101212