Paper short abstract:

This paper address walking as a method for pilgrimage studies, drawing on fieldwork experiences from pilgrimage routes leading to historical shrines in Norway. The pilgrimage landscapes referred to are geographical, social and digital.

Paper long abstract:

Walking is central for pilgrimage, both as embodied practice and metaphor. Contemporary pilgrimages to historical shrines are provided with temporal depth through the notion of “walking in the footsteps” of historical pilgrims journeying to the same destinations in the past. To study pilgrimage through ethnographic fieldwork entails practical as well as ethical issues, such as how to balance participatory observation with social engagement and the physical strain of undertaking long walks. Researchers are of course just as likely to become tired and get blisters or other injuries as other participants in long-distance pilgrimages across uneven terrain and under shifting weather conditions, while simultaneously managing the role as an observer. Shared experiences of pilgrimage as a walking practice among researchers and pilgrims, combined with reflections about such physical journeys during interviews, are viewed as central parts of the research process aiming to gain knowledge about contemporary pilgrimage.

Drawing on fieldwork experiences from contemporary pilgrimage routes leading to historical shrines in Norway, this paper address walking as a method for pilgrimage studies. Experiences of navigating pilgrimage landscapes will be discussed in relation to geographical, social and digital pilgrimage landscapes. This includes signposts and guides as navigation tools in geographical landscapes, as well as the usage of maps and written descriptions of the same routes in digital and printed mediations. Further, examples will be provided of the usefulness of maps, images and video as part of analysis and research dissemination.