Use the comment sections to post your field instructions.
[Title of Your Instructions]
Focus: [which literacy – spatial politics, material traces, etc.]
Location: [where exactly]
Time needed: [how long]
What to do: [step by step]
What to notice: [specific things to pay attention to]
Question to carry: [your provocative question]
Nur der Text ist unter der Lizenz Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 International nutzbar. Alle anderen Elemente (Abbildungen, importierte Anhänge) sind „Alle Rechte vorbehalten“, sofern nicht anders angegeben.
OpenEdition schlägt Ihnen vor, diesen Beitrag wie folgt zu zitieren:
Victoria Mummelthei (10. Februar 2026). Explorative Field Instructions. Keine Disziplin – No Discipline. Abgerufen am 21. April 2026 von https://doi.org/10.58079/15npe


“Warm up that bus seat!”
Routes & Preparation
Take 2 buses, M43 from Charlottenburg go Friedrichshain via Neukölln.
– M41 from Mitte to Schöneweide.
– Try to pick one of the ends and go to another.
– These two routes start at very different ends. For example, one end of M43 is in the coveted Charlottenburg. Start from there.
– First ride, don’t write anything down; don’t take a note on the phone or in a notebook. It is a distraction.
– Pick a clear window; if it’s a double-decker bus, go to the top.
Time needed from one end to another (according to BVG): M41 needs 44 minutes. M43 needs 51 minutes. Double it for the way back.
First Journey – Broad Observation
– Now, on your first journey, don’t focus on one particular thing; cast a wide net of attention.
– Just notice the transformation of the cityscape—how houses change from Charlottenburg to Neukölln or from Mitte to Schöneweide.
– Glance at the stores here or there, what do you notice.
– Look at the people outside.
– Look at the architecture.
Return Journey – Detailed Focus
– Once you reach the end of the line, go back.
– This time, have the map app open and pay attention to what is happening inside the bus.
– Notice people riding the bus.
– Notice which group of people gets on or off and where.
– How do they look?
– What do they say?
– What language do they speak?
Tips
– Try to enjoy the journey; think of it as an excursion through an unfamiliar place.
– If you are self-conscious about looking at people and making accidental eye contact, wear sunglasses, preferably those that obscure your eyes. However, don’t wear them on a heavy overcast day; it draws attention.
– Make preparations for the trip, take traffic into account and don’t stress too much about it. Remember to use the toilet before your trip!
– This might be a long journey, so bring some food and water (but no smelly snacks!).
Final assignment: take the same route a couple of times. Maybe take only part of the journey. See what new thing you notice on your second, third trip?
Provocation: use your senses, what draws your perception? Which sense is activated first? (vision, hearing, smell)? Recognize why it grabs your attention? What emotions are evoked (negative or positive) why?
Luise Marie Gardow
Lena Kranz
Levan Kiknadze