Histories and Philosophies of Human Geography

Module code: GY2410

This module introduces you to theoretical and practical issues within contemporary geography. This includes the various traditions of modern geographical thought and describes their continuing influence over how geographical knowledges are produced.

Clearly-themed lectures introduce the disciplinary development of human geography within historical and philosophical contexts. Your preparation for dissertation research, later in year 2, is supported with weekly seminars which take a variety of forms: practical (e.g. mapping) exercises, discussion/reading groups, group research projects and social media/hashtag surveys. You'll experience the breadth of theoretical and methodological approaches which inform contemporary geographical practice, and develop a disciplinary awareness of the concrete skills concerned with evidence-gathering and analysis.

The module places particular emphasis on what it means to make geographical claims, but looks beyond the traditional boundaries of the geographical discipline to trace recent engagements with feminist and post-/decolonial thought.

Topics covered

Geographies of exploration and adventure
Regional and early cultural geographies
Environmental determinism and environmental possibilism
Geography’s 'Quantitative Revolution'
Critical geography’s roots: Marx and Foucault
Feminist and queer theory in geography
Post-/decolonial geographies and critical race theory
Nonhuman/inhuman geographies
Postmodern and experimental geographies