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Climbers' narratives of mountain spaces above 8000 metres: a social constructivist perspective
Author(s) -
Wilson Geoff A
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
area
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1475-4762
pISSN - 0004-0894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4762.2011.01021.x
Subject(s) - mountaineering , narrative , artificiality , constructivism (international relations) , social constructivism , sociology , perspective (graphical) , summit , nationalism , aesthetics , epistemology , history , social science , geography , archaeology , politics , physical geography , political science , philosophy , visual arts , literature , art , international relations , law
This article analyses narratives used by mountaineers experiencing mountain spaces above 8000 metres. Adopting a social constructivist perspective, the article focuses on published narratives by established mountaineers (focusing on Everest and K2), with the aim of exploring perceived notions of mountain spaces above 8000 metres as psychological and geographical physical and mental thresholds. By discussing specific narratives associated with technological aids (e.g. oxygen masks), summit fever, risk‐taking, the role of guides as important intermediaries for the reinforcement of socially constructed extreme mountain spaces, or the politicisation of mountain spaces through risk perceptions clouded by nationalism, the article argues that narrative constructivism helps us question nature‐society dualisms linked to high mountain spaces, especially by emphasising the artificiality of dehumanised spaces such as the ‘death zone’ above 8000 metres.