Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews

Groves, Chris; Roberts, Erin; Henwood, Karen; Thomas, Gareth; Pidgeon, Nick; Shirani, Fiona

doi:10.1177/14687941251406038

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Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews

Chris Groves

, Erin Roberts

, Karen Henwood

, Gareth Thomas, Nick Pidgeon, Fiona Shirani

Qualitative Research

Swansea University Authors: Chris Groves , Erin Roberts

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DOI (Published version): 10.1177/14687941251406038

Abstract

The value of maps in geographical and social-scientific research as tools that afford imaginative aesthetic engagement with research topics has become increasingly recognised. We explore here, for the first time, the value of these affordances for interviewing experts. In particular, the imaginative...

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Published in:	Qualitative Research
ISSN:	1468-7941 1741-3109
Published:	SAGE Publications 2026
Online Access:	Check full text
URI:	https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71040

first_indexed	2025-12-01T13:55:53Z
last_indexed	2026-01-31T05:34:07Z
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spelling	2026-01-30T14:32:43.4185112 v2 71040 2025-12-01 Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews 847beea4d3481c4df56d0545a06d7c5b 0000-0002-5873-1119 Chris Groves Chris Groves true false 391f65540d6e8fe14c0180d015e5a841 0000-0003-4818-2926 Erin Roberts Erin Roberts true false 2025-12-01 SOSS The value of maps in geographical and social-scientific research as tools that afford imaginative aesthetic engagement with research topics has become increasingly recognised. We explore here, for the first time, the value of these affordances for interviewing experts. In particular, the imaginative engagement maps can provide may help unsettle routines of thought, and invite reflexivity towards the assumptions on which expert knowledge may rest. This contribution of maps can be particularly valuable in research where anticipating potential future consequences of societal transformations is a central aim. We examine a case study from South Wales, UK, relating to explorations of socio-technical transitions in the field of energy, and show how the imaginative engagements that maps afford for expert participants can facilitate specific ways of anticipating potential futures that avoid simply extrapolating from what is familiar. Journal Article Qualitative Research 0 SAGE Publications 1468-7941 1741-3109 expert interviewing, future presents, hauntology, mapping, present futures, reflexivity, temporality 16 1 2026 2026-01-16 10.1177/14687941251406038 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) Support for this research was primarily provided by the Welsh Government through the European Regional Development Fund as part of the FLEXIS project. Prof Pidgeon acknowledges support from the EPSRC UK Energy Research Centre Phase 4 and 5 (EP/S029575/1) and ESRC Behavioural Research UK Leadership Hub (ES/Y001044/1); Dr Roberts and Prof. Henwood acknowledge support from the BBSRC Greenhouse Gas Removal Project (BB/V011359/1). 2026-01-30T14:32:43.4185112 2025-12-01T13:54:24.0616237 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy Chris Groves 0000-0002-5873-1119 1 Erin Roberts 0000-0003-4818-2926 2 Karen Henwood 0000-0002-4631-5468 3 Gareth Thomas 4 Nick Pidgeon 5 Fiona Shirani 6 71040__36057__bccf68b9bf804445a7193c2ed69a8246.pdf 71040.VOR.pdf 2026-01-20T11:24:53.4179588 Output 790997 application/pdf Version of Record true © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
spellingShingle	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews Chris Groves Erin Roberts
title_short	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
title_full	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
title_fullStr	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
title_full_unstemmed	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
title_sort	Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews
author_id_str_mv	847beea4d3481c4df56d0545a06d7c5b 391f65540d6e8fe14c0180d015e5a841
author_id_fullname_str_mv	847beea4d3481c4df56d0545a06d7c5b_*_Chris Groves 391f65540d6e8fe14c0180d015e5a841_*_Erin Roberts
author	Chris Groves Erin Roberts
author2	Chris Groves Erin Roberts Karen Henwood Gareth Thomas Nick Pidgeon Fiona Shirani
format	Journal article
container_title	Qualitative Research
container_volume	0
publishDate	2026
institution	Swansea University
issn	1468-7941 1741-3109
doi_str_mv	10.1177/14687941251406038
publisher	SAGE Publications
college_str	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id	facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str	School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy
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description	The value of maps in geographical and social-scientific research as tools that afford imaginative aesthetic engagement with research topics has become increasingly recognised. We explore here, for the first time, the value of these affordances for interviewing experts. In particular, the imaginative engagement maps can provide may help unsettle routines of thought, and invite reflexivity towards the assumptions on which expert knowledge may rest. This contribution of maps can be particularly valuable in research where anticipating potential future consequences of societal transformations is a central aim. We examine a case study from South Wales, UK, relating to explorations of socio-technical transitions in the field of energy, and show how the imaginative engagements that maps afford for expert participants can facilitate specific ways of anticipating potential futures that avoid simply extrapolating from what is familiar.
published_date	2026-01-16T05:34:16Z
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score	11.096068

Opening reflexive spaces: Maps as an anticipatory tool in expert interviews

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