130 Years of Historical Geography at Cambridge 1888-2018

130 Years of Historical Geography at Cambridge 1888-2018

130 Years of Historical Geography at Cambridge 1888-2018

Author: Alan Baker, Life Fellow of Emmanuel College Cambridge, Iain Black, Senior Tutor of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and Robin Butlin, Emeritus Professor of Geography and Visiting Research Fellow, University of Leeds

Publisher: Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers

This book, published on 1 July 2019, is the outcome of an investigation of the changing character of historical geography as conceived, taught at, researched at, and disseminated from, one institution - the Department of Geography of the University of Cambridge - from the late-nineteenth  century. An explanatory history is given of historical geography within a major department of an ancient English university, but viewed within broader geographical and historical contexts. The principal scale of investigation is small, which requires awareness of possible linked hazards, including the paucity of university archives, unreliability of personal memories and oral evidence. The book is organised mainly on a chronological basis. An introduction defines the scope and aims of the study and this is followed by a consideration of  the ideas about historical geography held in Cambridge in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries and the first faltering steps of the subject, from the foundation of the Board of Geography in 1903 to the establishment in 1919 of the Cambridge Geographical Tripos. There follow chapters on the early years of the Geographical Tripos, its major reform in 1928 and historical geography's early development in Cambridge from 1928 to 1946, notably embracing H. Clifford Darby's early research and promotional work (chapter 4). We then continue into the period 1946-1966 (chapter 5); then that from 1966-1976 (chapter 6) which incorporates detail of new appointments and ideas; and the period of continuity and change from 1976-2003 (chapter 7). The penultimate chapter (8) considers briefly developments in historical geography at Cambridge in the early twenty-first century and the final chapter (9) examines the Department's influences on historical geography beyond Cambridge.

Appendices include  lists of research seminars in historical geography 1968-2000,  of conferences in historical geography held at Cambridge 1978-1999, of historical geographers on the staff at Cambridge 1893-2018, and of Cambridge postgraduates who have held teaching and research posts in other institutions of higher education.

The authors of the book are three experienced historical geographers, Alan Baker, Life Fellow of Emmanuel College Cambridge, Iain Black, Senior Tutor of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and Robin Butlin, Emeritus Professor of Geography and Visiting Research Fellow, University of Leeds.

This book makes a significant contribution to the history of historical geography and of geography more broadly. It is published by the Historical Geography Research Group of the RGS-IBG.

The book is published as Number 46 in the Research Series of the HGRG. It costs £14.95 (£12.95 to members of the HGRG) plus £2.50 for processing, packaging and postage (for up to 3 copies of the book). Fully paid-up members of the HGRG will be offered a pdf version or a soft-cover copy free of charge.

To order, contact rhed@rgs.org

Publication date: 
Monday 1 July 2019
ISBN: 
978 1 870074 29 2

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