Institute of Australian Geographers

Cultural Geography Study Group

The Cultural Geography Study Group holds a study group meeting between general conferences of the IAG, and organises sessions at IAG Conferences. Those interested in hearing more details about past and future events of the group should contact:

Convenor:

Dr Rachel Hughes
Geography Program
University of Melbourne
hughesr@unimelb.edu.au

There are now two Deputy Convenors of the group:

Dr Scott Sharpe (incoming)
Geography Lecturer
School of Physical, Environmental and
Mathematical Sciences
UNSW@ADFA
Canberra ACT 2600
s.sharpe@adfa.edu.au

Dr Chris Gibson (outgoing)
GeoQuest Research Centre
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Wollongong
NSW 2522
cgibson@uow.edu.au
 
Empirical and conceptual focus

The empirical and conceptual focus research for members of the Cultural Geography Study Group incorporates the following topics and their intersections: the roles of values and meanings in social formations and landscapes; the social constructions of identity (including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, disability etc) and places/spaces/natures; socio-economic/socio-cultural inequality and the position of socio-cultural groups; power relations/social relations; policy studies including the impacts of government policy on social groups; processes of social exclusion; social and cultural capital; the relationship between the ‘real’ and the representational; mapping and space; indigenous, feminist, immigrant and minority perspectives; colonialism and postcolonialism; environmentalism; speaking positions; discursive analysis; social justice and injustice studies at a variety of spatial scales and in a multitude of locations; and any other theme which develops within cultural geography. The Cultural Geography Study Group embraces a diversity of methodological approaches, including analysis of written, audio, visual and landscape texts; ethnography; participant observation; action research; interviews; questionnaires; and both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.

Constitution of the IAG Cultural Study Group

1. The Group shall be called the Cultural Geography Study Group hereinafter referred to as the Group.
2. The Group shall be a Study Group of the Institute of Australian Geographers Inc, hereinafter referred to as the Institute.
3. The aim of the Group is to further research and education in Cultural Geography. The Group offers a formal network, facilitates events (workshops, conferences, reading groups) and publications for researchers/teachers in Cultural Geography. A General Meeting will be held to coincide with the Annual General Meeting of the Institute. The Group will issue an annual Newsletter to members.
4. Membership of the Group shall be open to all members of the Institute and such other persons as the committee of the Group shall consider eligible, subject to any general rules of the Institute.
5. With the exception of members who are not members of the Institute all members may be nominated for any office of the Group.
6. The annual subscription of the Group shall be such sum as may be determined by its General Meeting from time to time.
7. Management of the Group shall be in the hands of a steering committee which shall normally consist of at least two officers (usually the Convenor and Deputy Convenor) and one ordinary committee member. Other members may be seconded to the steering committee to deal with important issues that arise.
8. A brief Annual Report of the Group shall be compiled and sent to the Honorary Secretary of the Institute. A more complete statement of Group activities shall be submitted to each general business meeting of the Institute.
9. The funds of the Group shall be managed at the discretion of the Committee in pursuit of the aims of the Group ( para. 3 above).
10. Should the Group wish to engage in publication involving the name of the the Institute prior consultation shall be held with the Honorary Editor of Geographical Research, formerly (Australian Geographical Studies).
11. The group may cease to be the Cultural Geography Study Group of the Institute either by a decision at the General Meeting of the Institute, or by a decision of the Council of the Institute.
12. The Group may at any time be dissolved at a General Meeting of the Institute or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Institute by two-thirds of those present.
13. In the event of the Group being dissolved, all debts and liabilities shall be discharged by the members of the Group. No individual member of the Group shall benefit financially. Any balance remaining in the account will be made over to the Institute.

Directory of expertise

Click here to see the Cultural Geography Study Group’s Directory of Expertise.

Reports

You can download the following reports of the Cultural Geography Study Group:

Report for 2005-2006
Report for 2006-2007
Report for 2007-2008