Dr Alexander John Bridgera.j.bridger@hud.ac.uk | 01484 472572
I am a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, specialising in Critical Social Psychology and Qualitative Research Methods. I joined the University in September 2007 having held part time lectureships at Manchester Metropolitan University and the Open University. I obtained my degree in Psychology with Sociology (2001, University of Staffordshire), PCPD Teacher Training Qualification (2009, University of Huddersfield) and PhD in Psychogeography (2009, Manchester Metropolitan University). The focus of my PhD was about conceptualising how psychogeographical strategies could be developed for use in critical and qualitative psychological research. In that research, I analysed media representations of September 11th and the Aftermath (newspaper reports, political accounts and video footage) using discourse and semiological methods of analysis. I also analysed the material space of Ground Zero using psychogeographical techniques.
Whilst I was a PhD student at Manchester Metropolitan University I was involved with the Psychology Postgraduates Affairs Group (PsyPAG) as a British Psychological Society North West member. In that role I was involved in organising a national Postgraduate Psychology conference at Manchester Metropolitan University. As a senior lecturer at the University of Huddersfield, I was one of the main organisers for the international psychogeographical conference and festival, titled ‘Territorities Re-Imagined International Perspectives' which was held at Manchester Metropolitan as well as numerous other public venues including the Urbis museum and the Green Room.
I feel very grateful to have been part of the Discourse Unit when it operated at Manchester Metropolitan University and what I have learnt from academic staff, researchers and other colleagues has informed my critical and political approach to teaching Psychology today. I continue to have strong associations to the Discourse Unit, as well as the International Society for Theoretical Psychology, the Centre for Applied Psychology Research (based at the University of Huddersfield) and the British Psychological Society where I am member of the Qualitative Methods in Psychology and Social Psychology sections.
As part of my 'public engagement' and critical-intellectual-activist work, I set up the Huddersfield Psychogeographical Network in order to explore the effects of neoliberal gentrification in towns and cities such as Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester. I am also involved in other psychogeographical groups in the North of England including the Loiterers Resistance Movement and the Leeds Psychogeographical Group.
I am a critical psychologist and I undertook my doctoral research at the Discourse Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University, under the supervision of Professor Ian Parker and Reader in Psychology Dr Rebecca Lawthom. My PhD was externally examined by Reader in Media and Communications, Dr Lisa Blackman and Dr Geoff Bunn. My research work centres around the development of psychogeographical techniques to explore the effects of neoliberal gentrification in towns and cities, the emotional affects of places as well as to consider a political critique of environments and society.
I am passionate about Critical Social Psychology (particularly discourse approaches, South African critical psychology and non-Western forms of psychology), Qualitative Research Methods (principally, Foucauldian discourse methods and Lacanian psychoanalysis) radical mental health and activist-intellectual practice/theory. I am currently working out how to draw on Lacanian principles within my psychogeographical practice.
Bridger, A (2014) ‘Situationism’. In: Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology. : Springer. . ISBN 978-1-4614-5583-7
Bridger, A (2013) ‘Visualising Manchester: Exploring new ways to study urban environments with reference to situationist theory, the dérive and qualitative research’ Qualitative Research in Psychology . ISSN 1478-0887
Bridger, A (2013) ‘Doing psychology amidst a ‘crisis’ in capitalism – The relevance of situationism and psychogeography for studying environments ’. In: International Society for Theoretical Psychology Conference Proceedings 2011. Thessaloniki, Greece: Captus University Publications. .
Bridger, A (2013) ‘Psychogeography, political practice and urbanism’. In: International Congress Critical Social Psychology: Discourse, Materiality and Politics, 6-8th February 2013, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Bridger, A (2013) ‘Book review: Social Identity in Question: Construction, Subjectivity and Critique, Parisa Dashtipour, Routledge, 2012 ’ The psychologist , 26 (1). ISSN 0952-8229
Bridger, A (2013) ‘Psychogeography and Feminist Methodology’ Feminism & Psychology . ISSN 0959-3535
Brownrigg, A., Burr, V., Locke, A. and Bridger, A. (2012) ‘You don't know what's around the corner: A qualitative study of professional footballers in England facing career-transition’ Qualitative Methods in Psychology Bulletin (14). ISSN 2044-0820
Bridger, A (2012) ‘Psychogeography, dice walking and urban research’. In: Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference, 3-5th July 2012, University of Edinburgh
Bridger, A (2012) ‘Psychogeography, anti-methods and urbanism’. In: Situationist Aesthetics: The SI, Now Conference, 8th June 2012, University of Sussex, Brighton
Bridger, A (2011) ‘Psychogeography and the Study of Social Environments: Extending Visual Methodological Research in Psychology’. In: Visual Methods in Psychology Using and Interpreting Images in Qualitative Research. : Routledge. . ISBN 9780415483483
Bridger, A (2011) ‘Place, community and culture: An investigation of regeneration in Northern towns and cities in the United Kingdom’. In: 14th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Theoretical Psychology, 27th June - 1st July 2011, Thessaloniki, Greece
Bridger, A (2011) ‘Walking as a "Radicalized" Critical Psychological Method? A Review of Academic, Artistic and Activist Contributions to the Study of Social Environments’. In: Critical Psychology. : Psychology Press (Routledge). . ISBN 9780415568593
Bridger, A (2010) ‘Book review: Stenner, P. & Greco, M. (Eds.) Emotions: A Social Sciences Reader. London & New York: Routledge ’ Social psychological review , 12 (2). ISSN 1369-7862
Bridger, A (2010) ‘How walking can be used as a feminist research method and why the political analysis of environments and gendered subject positions is important’. In: City/States: revealing urban space and place, 21st July 2010, Bradford, UK
Bridger, A (2010) ‘Can walking be a radical method? A review of academic, artistic and activist writings on psychogeography’. In: Leeds Psychogeography Group Talk & Walk, 22nd June 2010, Leeds, UK
Bridger, A (2010) ‘Revolutionary psychology, art and social science: Discussing ‘research’ and ‘social impact’’. In: University of Huddersfield Research Festival 2010 , 8-18 March 2010, Huddersfield University
Bridger, A (2010) ‘Walking as a ‘Radicalized’ Critical Psychological Method? A Review of Academic, Artistic and Activist Contributions to the Study of Social Environments’ Social and Personality Psychology Compass , 4 (2), pp. 131-139. ISSN 1751-9004
Bridger, A (2009) ‘Situationism, Psychogeography and the Study of Place: ‘Radicalising’ Psychological Research Methods’. In: School of Human and Health Sciences Research Open Day 2009, 27th March 2009, Huddersfield, UK
Bridger, A (2009) ‘Drifting around Manchester after the IRA bomb attack of 1996’ The Mule .
Bridger, A (2009) Psychogeography, September 11th 2001 and the Aftermath: Extending Qualitative Methods in Psychology Doctoral thesis, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Bridger, A (2009) ‘'Psychogeography and the Walking Method': Exploring New Innovative and Emerging Methods in Qualitative Research’. In: PsyPAG (Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group), 2009, Salford, UK
Bridger, A (2008) ‘Situationism, psychogeography and the study of place: ‘Radicalising’ psychological research methods’. In: Territories Reimagined: International Perspectives: A psychogeography festival, 21st June 2008, Manchester, UK
Bridger, A (2008) ‘Psychogeography, Psychology and Ground Zero’. In: Territories Reimagined: International Perspectives Conference and Festival, 19th – 21st June 2008, Manchester, UK
Bridger, A., Rose, M. and Dickenson, B. (2006) ‘Psychogeography and the Situationists’. In: Basement Social Centre presentation, 2006, Basement Social Centre, Manchester, UK
Bridger, A., van Aitken, J. and Brake, J. (2005) ‘The Situationists and Psychogeography’. In: Discourse Unit Presentation, December 2005, Manchester, UK
Bridger, A (2005) ‘An exploration of Ground Zero using Psychogeography’. In: Graduate Seminars in Narrative and Biographical Research, 4th October 2005, University of East London, London, UK
Bridger, A (2005) ‘Manchester after the IRA bomb of 1996: Political community strategies and situated urban knowledges’. In: First International Conference Community, Work and Family: Change and Transformation, 16th-18th March 2005, Manchester, UK
Bridger, A., King, A. and Siddiquee, A. (2005) ‘PsyPAG Annual Conference Review’ British Psychological Society North West Branch Newsletter .
Bridger, A (2005) ‘Letters to the Editor’ PsyPAG Quarterly .
Bridger, A (2004) ‘Psychogeography exhibition’. In: Get Lost! Festival, 2004, Manchster, UK
Bridger, A (2004) ‘Visual Analyses of September 11th Representations using Situationist Theory’. In: Inaugural Conference of the Institute of Health and Social Change, 2004, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Bridger, A (2003) ‘Interpreting Ideology in Political Textual Analyses’. In: International Society for Theoretical Psychology (ISTP) Biennial Meeting 2003, 22nd - 27th June 2003, Istanbul, Turkey
Bridger, A (2003) ‘Psychology, culture and the Trafford Centre’ PsyPAG Quarterly .
Bridger, A (2003) ‘Experiences of being a part-time student’ PsyPAG Quarterly .
Bridger, A (2003) ‘Reflexive Strategies in Political Textual Analyses’. In: International Conference of Critical Psychology: Contesting conflict, challenging consensus, 27th - 31st August 2003, Bath, UK
Teaching responsibilities have included/currently include:
