New Books in Intellectual History Patricia Daley and Ian Klinke, "Human Geography: A Very Short Introduction" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Feb 5, 2026
Ian Klinke, Oxford political geographer studying geopolitical thought and landscapes of deterrence. Patricia Daley, Oxford scholar of African human geography focused on refugees, political violence, and decolonizing curricula. They map human geography through sites like pipelines, borders, high rises, workplaces, conservation areas, and outer space. The conversation traces the discipline’s imperial roots and future directions in energy, cities, migration, and AI.
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Spatial Lens Reveals Power
- Human geography applies a spatial lens to social problems like inequality, migration, and climate change.
- It asks "why, what is where, and how it came to be" to reveal power in spaces.
19th-Century Roots And Imperial Function
- Academic geography formed in the 19th century as a holistic science linking human and physical geography.
- Its early leaders tied the field to imperial governance and debated with emerging sociology and anthropology.
Explorers Shaped Early Geography
- Early geography grew from exploration and colonial training like the Royal Geographical Society's role in Africa.
- Patricia Daley recounts explorers presenting accounts and the later recovery of silenced voices in archives.
