Critical geography and the opening up of the academy: lessons from ‘real life’ attempts

Summary Two ‘real’ attempts that have been made to engage geography with everyday struggles are considered in the light of the critical geography movement. First, my experiences of an anti‐gentrification workshop at the Inaugural International Conference on Critical Geography in Vancouver, Canada. Second, my experiences in speaking about a research project ‘outside’ the academy, through the media. These attempts illustrate that geographers may be overestimating the particular expertise and experience that we bring to the table. Stepping out of our so‐called ‘ivory towers’ is but the first step in what can only be called an educational journey.