Critical physical geography

Abstract

Critical physical geography (CPG) is a body of work that brings together natural and social science methods, concepts, and theories. Unlike many calls for integrative geographic scholarship, CPG aims not only to produce fresh geographic insights but also to transform science itself and the eco-social worlds we study and inhabit. In this sense, CPG is explicitly normative; rather than attempting to exclude all politics to attain legitimacy, this work aims for a relentless reflexivity about its own political commitments, precepts, and value judgments. CPG research draws upon a wide range of methods, both qualitative and quantitative as well as from across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. This work often brings together methods that are not commonly combined: dendrochronology and discourse analysis, soil chemistry and questionnaire surveys, remote sensing and oral histories. In this chapter, we review the main objectives and guiding principles of CPG before moving to explore its relevance for geographic work on resources. We contend that CPG offers a new framework for pursuing critical resource geographies that seek to inform resource management and governance while also furthering the cause of justice.