Abstract
Walking is one of the most elementary bodily practices, but it can have different meanings depending on the social and historical context. In the field of the sociology of the body, David Le Breton holds a position of intellectual and scientific prestige, however, his works and reflections about hiking are not well known in Brazil. The aim of this paper is to analyze how walking can be considered a practice of resistance, from the sociological view of David Le Breton. Based on documentary sources and interviews with the author, two axes of analysis were developed. The first explores walking as a form of resistance to certain aspects of contemporary society, such as speed and the ephemeral and utilitarian aspects related to the social relations. In the second axe, walking emerges as a satisfactory way to disappear from yourself, as it is important to resist to the imperative need of dealing with different identities imposed by society. To analyse walking in this perspective can collaborate to rethink the logics that operate around bodily practices and – why not? – present in our social roots. The reflection upon fundamental sociological aspects of being a body is more than pertinent in a social context where values associated to a dizzying rhythm of our existence are being put in check.
Keywords
sociology of the body; anthropology of the body; physical activity; walking; bodily practices