From Hierarchy to Rhizome: Reimagining Research Visualisation

About the lecture

Rhizomatic mapping is a technique for synchronising and representing large amounts of data and ideas. Inspired by the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari in their 1980 book “A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia,” this technique deviates from traditional hierarchical models, embracing a non-linear, interconnected approach. In rhizomatic mapping, researchers place items of information and inspiration on a paper or a digital surface. They then connect each item to all related items, creating a complex web of connections. The map encourages the creation of new connections that lead to innovative ideas.

This one-hour workshop introduces rhizomatic mapping as a generative method for exploring joyful pedagogical encounters. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s “Rhizome,” I invite participants to co-create a large, collaborative rhizomatic map based on lived moments of joyful learning. Participants begin by reflecting on personal experiences of joy in pedagogy—moments of collective transformation, affective resonance, or unexpected learning.…