At the risk of blatant self-promotion, could I mention a couple of things I have coming out in the near future that might be of interest to list members concerned with these issues.
The first is an article with a number of colleagues, looking at trends in the management of geography in British universities since the mid-1990s, particularly the tendency towards multidisciplinary management. The article offers an overview of trends rather than specific cases, but covers some of the issues raised in the post. It should be out shortly in Area. The reference is:
Hall T, Toms P, McGuinnes M, Parker C and Roberts, N. (forthcoming) 'Where's the geography department? The changing administrative place of geography in British universities', Area.
The second is a feature article in tomorrow's Times Higher Education about the trend towards multidisciplinary departments in universities generally. It is not specifically concerned with geography but does give some anecdotal material from my own experience on issues like teaching multidisciplinary classes, departmental culture and staff office accommodation issues.
Best wishes,
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emma Saunders
Sent: 07 January 2015 07:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Geography department moves: call for info
Good morning,
Having just registered for a postgraduate course in the geography department of Edinburgh University, I was surprised to find that a large scale move has been planned to merge in one building the various sub-disciplines of the (recently created) School of Geosciences such as geography, geology, ecology...
In 2004, the geography department joined this administrative unit because of the shared grant applications with the physical sciences and the fact that geography sat uneasily in all the various larger units. Staff in its majority accepted this merger with the understanding that this administrative change would bear no consequences on the organisation and running of the discipline. The geography department indeed remained in a specific central building, where both human and physical geographers worked whilst the other disciplines of the School of Geosciences were based in an campus far from city centre.
The School of Geosciences now holds a vision of a 'single-site'
building to be located in the Science campus far from city centre.
Many lecturers and students in the geography department have expressed concerns that such a location would both marginalise 'radical'
geographies and hinder collaboration across the social sciences. Many have also questioned the assumptions underlying the move and lack of evidence to support such a change.
I am interested in hearing positive and negative stories, experiences and consequences for geography departments, staff and students of similar mergers and moves. If you have any to share, please send them to this email address. This stems from a desire to research the consequences of such moves and mergers and assess how wide spread a phenomenon this is.
In the mean time, i wish you a happy, challenging and surprising new year,
Best,
emma saunders
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