Flaneur Abroad

Image: Oxford cap on globe of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.wewhatsapp.com/group/179/Education/Study-in-Australia/

“The stroller, the passionate wanderer,” – (The Paris Review, 2013) is moving amongst the masses whether or not their presence is known. In nineteenth century France, the flaneur was understood to be a “well-dressed man, strolling leisurely through the Parisian Arcades” – (The Arcades Project, 2007). The flaneur has been summarised as a “spectator of modern life,” – (Barnes, 1997) and according to lightgraphite.com, “observes the city or their surroundings”. Flaneurs immersed themselves in the culture and architecture that surrounded them. They did this in much the same way as a tourist or an exchange student does in modern times.

This is evidently seen in the real life network at George Roberts Hall, James Cook University Townsville. The Hall is a vibrant cluster of networks, inclusive of both domestic and international students, thriving with social interactions and events. In this network, the concept of the flaneur is represented by the international students who are studying a semester abroad.

Like a flaneur of twentieth century Paris, a flaneur of today will blend in at times, silently moving through the masses, unnoticed. The American students in particular, remain camouflaged by their similarity of appearance. They cannot be noticed until they “immerse themselves in the metropolis” – (Act of Travelling, 2012). They walk around for the first time in the new network, and appear excited and vocal about the new space. They “take in their environments in a distracted manner,” – (One Way Street, 2009) and in doing so, they draw attention to themselves by speaking with foreign, interesting accents. They are loud and excited, and often point out everything they see around them.

Flaneurs really are everywhere. They silently hide in any network, concealed by their similarities until they reveal their flaneuristic characteristic.

References

Oxford cap resting atop the Australian flag [image]. Retrieved from http://www.wewhatsapp.com/group/179/Education/Study-in-Australia/

The Paris Review. (2013). In Praise of the Flaneur. Retrieved from http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2013/10/17/in-praise-of-the-flaneur/

The Arcades Project. (2007). The Flaneur. Retrieved from http://www.thelemming.com/lemming/dissertation-web/home/flaneur.html

Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Flâneur. Retrieved from http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html

Lightgraphite. Flaneur-a person who walks in the city in order to experience it. Retrieved from https://lightgraphite.wordpress.com/art-and-design-in-context/flaneur-a-person-who-walks-the-city-in-order-to-experience-it/

James Cook University. (2016). George Roberts Hall. Retrieved from https://www.jcu.edu.au/jcu-halls/about-us/our-halls/george-roberts-hall

Act of Travelling. (2012). Slow Travel (+ a Bonus). Retrieved from http://www.actoftraveling.com/2012/03/slow-travel-a-bonus/

                Prouty, R. (2009). Turtle on a leash. One Way Street. Retrieved from http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html