Collage: A Method to Imagine Otherwise

This paper proposes collage as a versatile method for geographical inquiry, bridging creative research practices with feminist, transformative ambitions. Although creative methods are increasingly adopted in geography, few contributions critically reflect on collage as a geographical method or provide detailed guidance on its practical application. The paper is structured into four parts. First, it positions collage as a geographical tool, highlighting how it aligns with the objectives of feminist geography by enabling participants to subvert present realities and imagine future spaces. Second, it presents practical guidance on designing and implementing collage sessions, focusing on organiser–participant relations, material selection, session design and their implications for data collection and analysis. Third, it highlights how the method may be more or less effective depending on whether it is applied with adults or children. Fourth, it explores collage as a method for researcher reflexivity, showing how making, layering and material engagement enable researchers to situate their positionality and attend to embodied dimensions of knowledge production. The paper concludes by arguing that collage opens space for imaginative, participatory and ethical research practices.