Reclaiming provincialism

Abstract

This article argues against the lingering pejorative usage of the term ‘provincialism’ in public discourse in particular. It engages with transnational debates emerging from Australia and French-speaking settings, where provincialism often denotes backwardness, isolation, and a lack of high culture. Through explorations of (a) the universalizing value of the provincial and (b) the diversifying concept of ‘provincializing’, the article advocates for a reconceptualization of the term ‘provincialism’. This is worthwhile on at least two counts: challenging stale dichotomies such as cosmopolitan/unworldly; acknowledging the agency of so-called ‘provincials’ and their essential cultural contributions. The article contributes to debates in human geography and related disciplines by unpacking longstanding questions of inclusion and exclusion. Ultimately, it reclaims the value of provincialism as a term with the capacity to bridge varied areas of scholarship, thereby fostering empowerment and moving beyond deleterious ideas of geography.