The light touch of a hairdresser's hands on one's scalp, the euphoric energy of a nightclub, huddling with strangers under a shelter in the rain, a spontaneous snowball fight in the street, a daily interaction with a homeless man-such mundane connections, when we closely inhabit the same space, and touch or are touched by others, were nearly lost to "social distancing." Will we ever again shake hands without a thought?In this deeply rewarding book, Andy Field brings together history, science, psychology, queer theory, and pop culture with his love of urban life and his own experiences-both as a city-dweller and as a performance artist-to forge creative connections: walking hand-in-hand with strangers, knocking on doors, staging encounters in parked cars.
In considering twelve different kinds of encounters, from car rides to video calls to dog-walker chats in the park, Field argues "that in the spontaneity and joy of our meetings with each other, we might find the faint outline of a better future.".
| ISBN: | 9781324036586 |
| Publication date: | 9th October 2026 |
| Author: | Andy Field |
| Publisher: | W.W. Norton and Company an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 304 pages |
| Genres: |
Theatre studies Society and culture: general Social, group or collective psychology Assertiveness, motivation, self-esteem and positive mental attitude |
The light touch of a hairdresser's hands on one's scalp, the euphoric energy of a nightclub, huddling with strangers under a shelter in the rain, a spontaneous snowball fight in the street, a daily interaction with a homeless man-such mundane connections, when we closely inhabit the same space, and touch or are touched by others, were nearly lost to "social distancing." Will we ever again shake hands without a thought?In this deeply rewarding book, Andy Field brings together history, science, psychology, queer theory, and pop culture with his love of urban life and his own experiences-both as a city-dweller and as a performance artist-to forge creative connections: walking hand-in-hand with strangers, knocking on doors, staging encounters in parked cars.
Encounterism features in the following genres: Theatre studies, Society and culture: general, Social, group or collective psychology, Assertiveness, motivation, self-esteem and positive mental attitude
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Encounterism was written by Andy Field and published by W.W. Norton and Company an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company
Encounterism has 304 pages