GEO1316 Concepts in

Geography
Critical Reasoning
John Wylie
Week 2 / Class 3
 GEO1316 Concepts in Geography
Critical Reasoning
This class complements Ewan Woodley’s class last
week on Scientific Reasoning, and is the second of
two ‘starter’ classes on Concepts before we dive
into Geography’s Histories

Its aim is to introduce elements of Critical Reasoning

as a common approach to both study and
research at University-level Geography, especially
in social science / human geography areas.
 GEO1316 Concepts in Geography
Critical Reasoning
This is a ‘concepts’ not a ‘skills’ class, and so the
aim is not to provide a recipe-guide to ‘how to
be critical’. That takes time, and also requires a
different setting than a lecture.

But - you should finish with a more detailed and

nuanced sense of what ‘being critical’ involves
in a University Geography context..
 Lecture Structure
• The place of Geography at University-level
• Being critical….
• Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning
• Critical geographies
• Conclusions & follow-up work
 The place of Geography at University-level

• In many UK Schools, Geography is classed as a

‘Humanities’ Subject
• At University, it is more commonly perceived and
categorised as both a Science and a Social Science
subject
• While many subjects stretch across various
boundaries, Geography is clearly broader than most…
• Geography is also commonly demarcated into
‘human’ and ‘physical’ wings..
 The place of Geography at University-level

NOTE OF CAUTION:

Geography is by no means unique in being ‘divided’

E.g - Other subjects in the College of Life and
Environmental Sciences:
Biosciences – divided into microbiology (at Exeter)
and ecology/conservation (Cornwall campus)
Psychology – divided into social psychology and
clinical psychology
 The place of Geography at University-level
Geography as a ‘factual’, encyclopaedic subject
Exemplified in the form of the Atlas (and also
the Globe)
 Background: the place of Geography at
University-level
The Atlas approach - Geography as the
comprehensive visual and textual description
of the earth, its environments and its peoples

The word itself derives from Ancient Greek:

Geography = Geo-graph = ‘Earth Writing’
Geography = description of the earth
 Background: the place of Geography at
University-level

It is, in part, this sense of Geography as a

‘description of the Earth’ that shapes its lingering
public image as factual, list-like etc.

Compare:
Geo-graph = ‘Earth Description’ and Geo-logy =
‘Earth Science’
Bio-graphy = ‘Life Description’ and Bio-logy = ‘Life
Science’
Background: the place of Geography at University-
level

Why is it worthwhile reflecting on how Geography is

classed and understood?

In part, because of public images/perceptions of

Geography....

Let’s talk for a minute about that…

Background: the place of Geography at University-
level

Geography is by some distance the highest-ranked

subject at Exeter in terms of global academic league
tables..

15th-ranked Geography department in the world (QS

Rankings 2021)

Through your degree, whether BA, BSc, FCH etc., you will
discover a level of diversity in Geography that would
greatly surprise most non-Geographers
Being Critical....
 Being Critical....
• Being negative?

• Being informed, thus being entitled to

comment …knowledge is power
• Being able to adeptly summarise and compare
academic arguments and positions…
• Having a questioning, sometimes sceptical and
scrutinising attitude…
 Being Critical....
• Understanding that the norms and values of mainstream
society are not ‘inevitable’ or ‘natural’

• In general, being sceptical of arguments based on the

premise that ‘it’s only natural that’….

• Or equally: arguments that appeal to ‘common sense’

• Appreciating the role of context, position and power in

the production of geographical knowledge.
Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning

Both of these types of reasoning seek to move

beyond simple or common-sensical understandings
on the world…in different ways.

First, recall – Geography as ‘earth description’

Scientific reasoning moves beyond description to
explanation and prediction
Critical reasoning moves beyond description to in-
depth critique and understanding
Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning

SciR = hypothesis/problem-driven (whether via

inductive or deductive method etc.). Seeks
reliable, authoritative knowledge

CritR = focus on context, evidence and

knowledge-claims. Seeks quality of insight and
understanding.
Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning

Hierarchies of knowledge…

One pathway to growth and success at Univ. is moving

beyond a view that all knowledge is either:

Objective: natural, universal, value-free, factual,

authoritative etc.
Or:
Subjective: personal, opinion-based, biased etc.
Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning

CritR = precisely about applying intelligence and

rationality to a topic/issue.

Often focuses on evidence and assertion – on quality of

argument.

Neither subjective nor objective, critical reasoning is

about illuminating how issues of context, power and
position determine how any given topic/issue is defined
and discussed
Scientific Reasoning and Critical Reasoning

An example: the idea of ‘sustainable development’

A CritR approach would:

Scrutinise the very idea – is it a contradiction in terms?
Focus on contexts: where did the idea come from – what are its
historical, geographical, economic and political contexts?
Focus on power: who has the power to make SD official policy?
What agencies and governments support it – and why? Whose
voices and views are silenced?
Focus on position: who speaks on behalf of SD? What are its
different geographies?
 Critical Geographies…..

Most contemporary human geography research

& teaching takes a ‘critical’ approach to the
topics/issues it is considering..

What does this mean in practice?

 Critical Geographies…..
• A commitment to informed and contextual scrutiny
of geographical issues and processes
• A commitment to understanding the world via
theory-building and attention to nuance and
complexity
• Scholarship that seeks to unmask power and
understand inequalities and injustices
• Ambition for positive and progressive change to the
current economic, social and political status quo
 Conclusions – and follow-up work
 CritR can fairly be described as the most common
approach to teaching, writing and research in human
geography in particular
 It complements SciR, rather than being opposed to it
 CritR emphasises the complexity of our social, political
and economic geographies
 Crit R strives for quality of insight and understanding –
exposing assertion and over-simplification
 It frequently also has political and progressive
commitments
 Conclusions – and follow-up work

On ELE tile – please find a library URL link to

Tate, S. & Hopkins, P (2021) Studying Geography
at University
Please read Part II, Chapter 17 ‘Arguing and
Thinking Critically’. This will also be a useful
introductory read for your degree studies in
general.
Thank You for your attention!