Conferencing British Geography: Disciplinary History told through Annual Conferences (1949-2029) and their Archives
This research project will provide a new history of post-WWII British geography, constructed through studying the lived experience and academic atmosphere of the annual conferences of the Institute of British Geographers (IBG). You will have unrivalled access to the Institute's archives and will also be embedded in the team which organises the annual conferences today.
The project will focus on how geography conferences were and are planned and experienced, providing a new perspective on the discipline of Geography in Britain. It will emphasise conference organisers and hosts as well as the debates which took place and the concepts or discoveries which emerged. While the history of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS, founded in 1830 and merged with the IBG in 1995) has been well studied, with an emphasis on exploration, the role of the IBG (founded in 1933) as the preeminent professional body representing geography's academic community has barely been studied at all. The IBG's most significant influence was its role in organising its annual academic conference held around the UK and the focus of this study.
You will spend the first year at the University of Nottingham gaining the necessary research skills, followed by a second year based at the RGS-IBG in London. The final two years will be based in Nottingham, with additional trips to archives as needed. In the first three years, the student will also contribute to conference preparation, including on-site running of the RGS-IBG annual conference in late-August.
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Posted on Wednesday 9th October 2024