From waiting areas to waiting territories: A new dimension of social geography?

Far from homogeneous and linear flows, movements of different natures that characterize contemporary societies are marked by more or less long waiting moments and times. The purpose of this article is to analyze why and how these moments are part of a space where individuals and groups develop specific social interactions. Beyond the traditional notion of “waiting areas” we put forward the idea of “waiting territories”, allowing us to question the patterns of “being” in society, space and time, and examine the existential dimension of living or inhabiting in a waiting situation. To carry out this investigation, we focus on American worlds characterized by the scope, variety and antiquity of their migrations.