The future for new geographers

Abstract

Two divergent viewpoints have recently emerged on the future of geography. The first, more critical, position was that human geographers were not sufficiently engaged in policy-relevant research (Martin 2001). There was both support for, and criticism of, this viewpoint (Cloke 2002; Dorling and Shaw 2002; Martin 2002; Massey 2002). The second, more optimistic view, was that geography was becom ing more successful, and more relevant (Thrift 2002). A series of responses to these papers followed, voicing both concerns and optimism regarding the future of geography (Clifford 2002; Johnston 2002 2003; Turner 2002; Gregson 2003; Ferguson 2003). The future for new geographers has been less debated. This commentary considers the future for new geographers given recent changes in academia. The effects of research funding concentration and the use of research groups are examined. The analysis is based on anonymous responses to structured face to-face (taped and transcribed) and email inter views, with a small number of current and former heads of geography departments in England, in 2003. The opinions expressed herein do not claim in any way to be representative of the perspectives of all senior geographers. The focus of the inter views was diversity and synergy.