Insights into teaching water landscape: Example of water pipes

Abstract

This contribution intends to outline how qualitative methods may demonstrate landscape developments in more embedded patterns, such as the material modifications of water infrastructure that matter, and indicate the spatial awareness of the landscape. The analytical lens of material modification’s concretization tied to the environment and technology allow us not to swallow knowledge but heed how the landscape has changed, and, therefore, produce knowledge for science and teaching. Given that methodological thoughts link up to the underground paths of water–pipes–landscape, I seek to open a dialogue on an understanding of the manifold dimensions of how we teach landscape in material, cultural, and socio-political contexts. This demand passes on an empirical sensibility more reflectively. Indeed, it takes attention to embrace and augment empirical materials in teaching and in the context of connecting the empirical and theoretical sides of knowledge production. My intent is to reflect on how we design research methods regarding contemporary concerns in everyday water politics, and in the process, encourage students to apply the empirical lens of material objectivization to reflect on theoretical knowledge to commit to a science of humanity.