Geography and History: Bridging the Divide (Cambridge Studies in Historical Geography, Series Number 36)

Geography and History is the first book for more than a century to examine comprehensively the interdependence of the two disciplines. Alan Baker, an internationally honoured historical geographer, focuses upon the work of North American, British and French historians and geographers but takes a global and interdisciplinary perspective upon the theory and practice of historical geography and geographical history. He analyses the views of historians on the relationship of their discipline to geography, and geographers on the relationship of theirs to history. He considers in turn locational geographies and spatial histories, environmental geographies and histories, landscape geographies and histories, and regional geographies and histories. Seeking to bridge the 'Great Divide' between history and geography, Dr Baker identifies some basic principles relating historical geography not only to history but also to geography, a reworking which signifies a 'new beginning' for this scholarly hybrid. Alan Baker considers locational geographies and spatial histories, environmental geographies and environmental histories, landscape geographies and landscape histories, and regional geographies and regional histories. Seeking to bridge the "Great Divide" between history and geography, Baker identifies basic principles relating historical geography not only to history but also to geography, a reworking which signifies a "new beginning" for this scholarly hybrid. Richard Evans, in his powerful 'defence' of his history against its attack by postmodernism, claims that the 1960s saw 'the invasion of the social sciences into history in Britain' and that in the post-war years in France the Annales historians aimed to make history far more objective and scientific than ever before by 'incorporating the methods of economics, sociology and especially geography into their approach to the past' (Evans 1997: 38-9). He analyses the views of historians on the relationship of their discipline to geography, and of geographers on the relationship of theirs to history. He considers in turn locational geographies and spatial histories, environmental geographies and histories, landscape geographies and histories, and regional geographies and histories Seeking to bridge the 'Great Divide' between history and geography, Dr. Baker identifies some basic principles relating historical geography not only to history but also to geography, a reworking which signifies a 'new beginning' for this scholarly hybrid."--Jacket Alan R.h. Baker. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 228-270) And Index.