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Geographic Connections: Language, Power Relations, and Relevance
Author(s) -
MCMANUS PHIL
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geographical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.695
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-5871
pISSN - 1745-5863
DOI - 10.1111/1745-5871.12152
Subject(s) - sustainability , relevance (law) , metropolitan area , interrogation , politics , plan (archaeology) , psychological resilience , resilience (materials science) , sociology , power (physics) , political science , human geography , critical geography , geography , environmental ethics , regional science , social science , cultural geography , ecology , psychology , philosophy , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , law , psychotherapist , biology , thermodynamics
Abstract The interrogation of language is crucial in all sub‐fields of geography and in related disciplines. This paper interrogates the terms nature, environment, sustainability, and resilience, given their importance in connecting geography with other academic pursuits and with people and organisations that make our discipline relevant. The paper explores how geography may be seen as ‘relevant’ while maintaining a constructively critical approach. It does so through the example of Sydney's metropolitan strategy/plan that was released in December 2014. The concept of resilience as defined and used in this new metropolitan plan fails to address transboundary issues such as climate change, raising concerns about sustainability. As such it serves the needs of political interests aligned with a growth agenda. This is one example highlighting that a challenge for many geographers is to maintain critical thinking while being relevant. It is an important challenge that geographers should relish.