Geography: Discipline, Profession and Subject since 1870

This thorough historical analysis traces the development of geography from a nascent field in the late 19th century to its establishment as a modern academic discipline and profession. Gary S. Dunbar provides a comprehensive examination of geography's institutionalization across Europe and North America, focusing on the pivotal period from 1870 through the twentieth century. The work stands as a unique contribution to the history of science, offering unprecedented coverage of how geography departments, professional societies, and research methodologies evolved over time. This scholarly investigation reveals the complex forces that shaped geographic thought and practice during its most formative decades.

What makes this study particularly valuable is its systematic approach to understanding how geography carved out its intellectual territory among both the social and earth sciences. Historians of science and education will find rich material here, while practicing geographers will gain crucial perspective on their field's professional foundations. The book successfully bridges multiple academic communities by demonstrating how disciplinary boundaries are constructed and maintained. For anyone seeking to understand the modern landscape of geographic scholarship, this work provides the essential historical context that illuminates current debates and directions within the field.