Naked in nature: naturism, nature and the senses in early 20th century Britain

Advocates of naturist practice have long celebrated it as the authentic human—nature relationship, a way of rekindling our connections with the natural world, and a means of achieving and maintaining physical, mental and spiritual health. Using Hans Surén's book Man and sunlight (1927) as an example, this paper explores the importance of sensory perception to, and the embodied geographies of, naturism and the particular ways in which early 20th century naturists conceptualized, valued and attached meaning to the relationship between the body and nature. In so doing, the paper outlines the ways in which naturist practice reflected contemporary European-wide debates on urbanism, nationhood, health, and nature, and highlights some of the connections between early naturist philosophy and contemporary phenomenological theory.