Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
remained largely impervious to geographical
critique, particularly that which emanated from
the Marxist analysis of capitalism.
The failure of applied geography to exert a
major influence on social policy, however, does not
signal the failure of applied geography to promote
any significant improvement in human well-being,
which, as we have seen, can be achieved by means
other than via public policy. Any assessment of the
contribution of applied geography to the
resolution of real-world problems must balance
the limited success in the specific area of social
policy against the major achievements of applied
geographers in the large number of other problem
areas outlined above. Rather than dwelling on the
limited impact to date of applied geographical
research in the field of social policy, applied
geographers can draw encouragement from their
unwillingness to compromise a critical stance in
return for public research funds or public
acceptability of research findings. Furthermore,
much of the applied social research undertaken
achieves the goal of addressing real-world
problems via its emancipatory power to expose the
structural underpinnings of contemporary
sociospatial problems and by encouraging
exploration of alternative social arrangements.
Applied geography is an approach whose
rationale is based on the particular philosophy of
relevance or social usefulness and which focuses
on the application of geographical knowledge and
skills to advance the resolution of real-world social,
economic and environmental problems. As the
contents of this topic demonstrate, applied
geographers are active across the human-physical
geography divide and in most sub-areas of the
discipline. The range of applied research presented
in the topic illustrates not only the contribution
that applied geography is currently making
towards the resolution of social, economic and
environmental problems at a variety of geographic
scales but also the potential of the approach to
address the continuing difficulties that confront
humankind.
Applied geography is a socially relevant
approach to the study of the relationship between
people and their environments. The principles,
practice and potential of applied geography to
engage a wide range of real-world problems
commends the approach to all those concerned
about the quality of present and future living
conditions and environments on planet Earth.
GUIDE TO FURTHER READING
The changing nature and content of applied
geography can be gauged from inspection of the
texts by L.D.Stamp (1960)
Applied Geography,
Harmondsworth: Penguin; and J.W.Frazier (1982)
Applied Geography: Selected Perspectives,
Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, and by comparing these
with the structure and content of the present
volume. Insight into the 'relevance debate' of the
early 1970s may be gained by examining successive
issues of the journal
Area
between 1971 and 1973.
For a contemporary view of ongoing research in
applied geography, the journals
Applied Geography,
Progress in Human Geography
and
Progress in Physical
Geography
provide regular reports on new research,
including work from an applied perspective.
REFERENCES
Abler, R. (1993) Desiderata for geography: an institutional
view from the U.S., in R.J.Jonnston (ed.)
The Challenge
For Geography
. Oxford: Blackwell, 215-38.
Applebaum, W. (1961) Teaching marketing geography by
the case method.
Economic Geography
37, 48-60.
Applebaum, W. (1966) Communications from readers.
Professional Geographer
18, 198-9.
Berry, B. (1972) More on relevance and policy analysis.
Area
4, 77-80.
Bowen, M. (1981)
Empiricism and Geographical Thought from
Francis Bacon to Alexander von Humboldt
. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Briggs, D. (1981) Editorial: the principles and practice of
applied geography.
Applied Geography
1, 1-8.
Brunsden, D. (1985) Geomorphology in the service of
society, in R.J.Johnston (ed.)
The Future of Geography
.
London: Macmillan, 225-57.
Bunbury, E. (1879)
A History of Ancient Geography Among
the Greeks and Romans from the Earliest Ages Till the Fall
of the Roman Empire
. London: John Murray.
