Materialities and historical geographies: An introduction

Ruth Slatter (Née Mason)

doi:10.1111/area.12518

Abstract

While (historical) geographers are now increasingly engaging with material things and approaches, there has been little debate about the role and place of material sources and methodologies within historical geography research. This special section of Area draws together five papers in which historical geographers explore material sources and the application of material approaches in order to make conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions to (historical) geography. These papers demonstrate the potential range of possibilities available to geographers (historical or not) attuned to the materiality of space and encourage further discussion about the relationship between material cultures and geographical research. This introductory editorial outlines the impetus for this special section. It reflects on how material culture has already been used within geographical research, considers why there is a need to debate (specifically historical) geographers’ engagement with materiality in greater depth, and suggests some ways in which the papers in this special section have already contributed to this debate.

Highlights

While geographers are increasingly engaging with material things and approaches, there has been little debate about the role and place of material sources and methodologies within historical geography research
What exactly can material cultures offer historical geography, and by implication geographical research more generally? What material things can be used within these studies and do they usefully contribute to geographical research? The papers in this special section will directly respond to these questions
As early as Carl Sauer and the Berkeley School (Sauer, 1925) material cultures were a prominent part of cultural geography: the design of historical landscapes read as illustrative of the cultural practices of the societies which used them

Summary

Introduction

While (historical) geographers are increasingly engaging with material things and approaches, there has been little debate about the role and place of material sources and methodologies within historical geography research. Their engagement with contemporary debates within material culture studies and beyond, will comment on the sorts of material sources that can contribute to geographical research but will explore how geographers should approach these items.

Results

Conclusion