Sidewalk Study
Taking Attention Activism to the streets
SoRA's program in experimental street-level pedagogy. Organized and facilitated by our STUDY CORPS, studies convene members of the public at a group at a bar, park, or other semi-public space for a short close reading of a text. Participants then depart to conduct a Practice of Attention en route to a second location, where they reconvene to synthesize their experience.
In this fashion, SIDEWALK STUDY brings together analysis and embodiment, reading and walking, theory and practice… and does it all in PUBLIC SPACE. Union members, PHD graduates, activists, artists, teachers, students, and humans from all walks of life have gathered under the umbrella of SIDEWALK STUDY.
All of our SIDEWALK STUDIES are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. No homework required!
To learn more, see our archive.
Our theme for September is…
GHOSTS!
Not in NYC? SIDEWALK STUDY is now NATIONAL!
Sign up here to get more information on our Studies in: Washington, DC; St. Louis, MO; Austin, TX; Cleveland, OH; Silicon Valley, CA.
Upcoming Studies
LIFE & DEATH
MON
Oct 5
7:00-9:30pm
Reading: Tsing et. al’s Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet & Leda Maria Martins’ Performances in Spiral Time
📍Seneca Village in Central Park with Lindsee & Connor
DIASPORIC HAUNT
THU
Oct 12
7:00-9:30pm
Reading: James Paul Gee’s What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy, Alexander J. Zawacki’s “Glitches and ghosts: The digital uncanny in video games and creepypasta” & John Keats’ “This living hand, now warm and capable”
📍Wonderville in Bushwick with Nicholas & Samvit
WHAT IF WE’RE THE GHOSTS?
MON
OCT 15
7:00-9:30pm
Reading: Akbar Abbas’ Hong Kong: Culture and the Politics of Disappearance & Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
📍Chinatown?? Lower East Side?? Dimes Square?? with Katie & Cherilyn
THAT WHICH CAME BEFORE
SUN
OCT 18
7:00-9:30pm
Reading: Josh Schrei’s The Mythic Body: Underworld & The Ancestors (Transcription)
📍Greenwood Cemetery with Shrin & Eleanor
A HELPFUL HAUNTING
THU
OCT 22
2:00-4:30pm
Reading: Teju Cole’s Open City & Tiziana De Rogatis’ “The Metamorphosis of Time”
📍The High Line with Miranda & Anha
Sidewalk Study USA
1. ST. LOUIS, MO (Michelle & Chris)
INTERTWINE: George Saunders’ Lincoln In The Bardo on Sat, Oct 3
“THE DEAD WERE JUST THAT: ORDINARY PEOPLE”: Misty L. Bastian’s “Advice for the Apparitionally Challenged: A Ghost (Hunter) Story” on Wed, Oct 21
2. AUSTIN, TX (Leah & Chris)
THE HAUNTED PATH: Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on Thu, Oct 14
WAYS OF REMAINING: Jeanette Winterson’s “The Future of Ghosts” on Wed, Oct 25
3. CLEVELAND, OH (Aditi & Rob)
THE THING THAT DOESN'T LEAVE: Toni Morrison’s Beloved on Sun, Oct 18
A CHAMBER, HAUNTED: Emily Dickinson's "One need not be a Chamber — to be Haunted" on Sun, Oct 25
4. WASHINGTON, DC (Kanika & Josh)
ENCHANTED GROUNDS: Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age on Fri, Oct 16
THE NAMES WE CARRY: Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon on Sat, Oct31
To sign up for Sidewalk Study USA, fill out this form.
AUGUST '26: PORTALS!
JULY '26: HEROES!
JUNE '26: SHAPES of LIBERATION
MAY '26: LIMBO
APRIL-MAY '26: BLOOM
MARCH-APRIL '26: TASTE
FEBRUARY-MARCH '26: THE PARTY
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER '25: PLAY!
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER '25: BEGINNINGS…
JULY '25: CROWDS
MAY '25: SNAPSHOT
APR '25: ~VIBES~
MAR '25: DESIGN for the TIMES!
