You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
A flâneur is a stroller, a loiterer, someone who ambles through a city without apparent purpose but is secretly attuned to the history of the place and in covert search of adventure, aesthetic or erotic.
The flâneur1 and the analysand2 come from similar backgrounds—19th century European cities—but one might notice their differences first. The analysand arrives at her milieu with a purpose, though she must abandon her purposefulness if she is to arrive at her purpose. The flâneur is already recognized by his apparent aimlessness. He arrives bearing the gift of not knowing. She is not defined by her locale, while he is inseparable from his.
The most famous flâneur was the poet Baudelaire, but many poets, writers, and artists have contributed to the literature from their own fiâneurie. The flâneur was born in Paris, but other cities have had their own notable