The changing face of geography: a geographical journey through the Australian geographer, 1928–2018

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we chart the changing character of Australian geographical research based on trends in publications in the Australian Geographer. Using data starting from the journal’s inception in 1928 until 2018, we document changes in geographical research reflecting broader trends in the evolution of the discipline. We argue that a long-term perspective, harnessing an empirical approach to data produced over a 90-year publication history, enables geographers to better understand the discipline. Accordingly, we track ‘who’ is doing geography and ‘where’ these studies take place. We also ask ‘how’ geography is being done vis-à-vis physical/human and combined studies. Our analysis of the publication history of the Australian Geographer over the last 90 years aims to provoke broader reflection on the progression of geographical research and the discipline’s identity.

KEYWORDS:

• Australian Geographer
• human geography
• physical geography
• history of geography
• gender
• future directions

Acknowledgments

Thank you for feedback from the School of Geosciences Thinking Space talk series and to Professor John Connell, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney. We also thank the valuable contributions of two anonymous reviewers.

Declaration of interest statement

Both authors are members of the Geographical Society of New South Wales.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jesse Doolan

Mr Jesse Doolan is an Honours graduate in Geography from the School of Geosciences, the University of Sydney and works as a Policy Adviser with New South Wales (NSW) Farmers.

Josephine Gillespie

Associate Professor Josephine Gillespie is an environmental legal geographer in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney.