Virtual reality, place and affect

The way that virtual reality recreates space and environments on a variety of scales and situations, renders it of immediate interest to geographers interested in the relationship between people and their environments. In this methodological chapter, we demonstrate how VR mediates the methodological process of capturing affect. Reflecting on our experiences during the Mapping Multiculture project, the chapter reflects on VR as an immersive sensory experience, the processes of dislocation between virtual and physical, the physical challenges that arise, and how removing the researcher gaze shapes the research. We argue that VR offers tremendous opportunities for researchers interested in examining a range of geographic topics, not least the affectual and emotional underpinnings of the relationship between people and place.