Carboniferous limestone and the search for relevance. Charles Rawding Edge Hill University GTE Conference Swansea January 2012.

‘As the length of time grew between the year when we graduated and the present, so we became no doubt more proficient practitioners in the classroom, but what we taught bore less and less resemblance to what current university geographers were doing’ (Graves, 1972:10).

Content Now Nirvana

How do you turn ‘nirvana’ into ‘now’ ?

Mainly resort, administrative and commercial. 1.Mainly seaside towns 2.Mainly spas, professional and administrative centres 3.Mainly commercial centres with some industry Mainly industrial 4.Including most of the traditional railway centres 5.Including many of the large ports as well as two Black Country towns 6.Mainly textile centres in Yorkshire and Lancashire 7.Including the industrial towns of the north-east seaboard and mining towns of Wales 8.Including the more recent manufacturing towns (adapted from Pacione, 2009:123). Classification of British towns, 1961.

Mainly resort, administrative and commercial. 1.Mainly seaside towns 2.Mainly spas, professional and administrative centres 3.Mainly commercial centres with some industry Mainly industrial 4.Including most of the traditional railway centres 5.Including many of the large ports as well as two Black Country towns 6.Mainly textile centres in Yorkshire and Lancashire 7.Including the industrial towns of the north-east seaboard and mining towns of Wales 8.Including the more recent manufacturing towns (adapted from Pacione, 2009:123). Classification of British towns, 1961.

Mainly resort, administrative and commercial. 1.Mainly seaside towns 2.Mainly spas, professional and administrative centres 3.Mainly commercial centres with some industry Mainly industrial 4.Including most of the traditional railway centres 5.Including many of the large ports as well as two Black Country towns 6.Mainly textile centres in Yorkshire and Lancashire 7.Including the industrial towns of the north-east seaboard and mining towns of Wales 8.Including the more recent manufacturing towns (adapted from Pacione, 2009:123). Classification of British towns, 1961.

LocationYears.Comment London Docklands Regeneration of rundown docklands Merseyside Regeneration of rundown docklands Trafford Park Derelict industrial land Black Country Derelict industrial land Teesside Derelict industrial land along River Tees Tyne and Wear Derelict industrial land Central Manchester Derelict industrial land Leeds Derelict riverside and canalside land Sheffield Derelict industrial land, lower Don valley Bristol Derelict land, parts of eastern Bristol Birmingham Heartlands Run down housing, derelict industrial land Plymouth To redevelop docklands Source: adapted from Bradford:2009. UK urban development corporations.

Reasons for innovation Better geography More relevant Topicality Dynamic and varied geographies Enhanced subject status ‘ The value of an academic subject depends on whether it answers questions we are interested in.’ (Tony Wrigley)

Successful geography departments Relevant Topical Up to date Reflect the cutting edge of geography Fun and interesting Value of fieldwork is emphasised

References: M.Bradford: ‘Evaluating recent change in Manchester city centre.’ Geographical Association fieldcourse. April N.Graves (Ed) New movements in the study and teaching of geography. Temple Smith, London, M.Pacione: Urban Geography. Routledge, London, 3 rd Ed, M.Roberts: ‘Investigating Geography’ Geography 94,3, 2009, p181.