Geographic Thought: A Critical Introduction

This engaging and accessible introduction to geographic thought explores the major thinkers and key theoretical developments in the field of human geography. Broad in scope, it traces the evolution of the discipline from its origins in classical thought to the most cutting edge theoretical discourses such as non–representational theory. By exploring theoretical underpinnings and current methodologies, Geographic Thought offers thought–provoking insights into a profound discipline concerned with the myriad relationships between people and the inhabited earth. Themes and topics encountered along the way include the influence of Darwin and Marx, the emergence of anarchist geographies, the impact of feminism, and myriad other important bodies of thought. Readers are not only introduced to key developments in geographical theory, but are exposed to the case for geography as a profound body of ideas that impacts all aspects of our lives – from showing us how to lead a good life to revealing ways to think about inequality and justice.

Preface viii 1 Introduction 1 2 Early Geographies 14 3 The Emergence of Modern Geography 35 4 Thinking About Regions 58 5 Spatial Science and the Quantitative Revolution 79 6 Humanistic Geographies 103 7 Marxist Geographies 122 8 Feminist Geographies 147 9 Postmodernism and Beyond 170 10 Toward Poststructuralist Geographies 196 11 Relational Geographies 218 12 More–than–Human Geographies 239 13 Geography′s Exclusions 261 Glossary 275 Index 283

Tim Cresswell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London. His books include Place: A Short Introduction (2004) and On the Move: Mobility in the Modern Western World (2006). He has also co–edited four collections, including Geographies of Mobilities: Practices, Spaces, Subjects (2011).

“On the whole, this is a very good book that will deserved by widely deployed in ‘history and philosophy of geography’ courses. A quick second edition with a revised.”  ( Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography , 7 July 2014 “This is absolutely the type of book I wish I had been given at the beginning of my own geographical education.”  ( Cultural Geographies , 1 October 2013) “Nevertheless, the author has reduced what is complex to a very readable level that will be of utility to students of geography and the history of science. Summing Up: Recommended.  Upper–division undergraduates and above.”  ( Choice , 1 October 2013)