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Unpacking geography: a brief history, 1973–2013
Author(s) -
Keighren Innes M
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
area
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1475-4762
pISSN - 0004-0894
DOI - 10.1111/area.12100
Subject(s) - unpacking , literal and figurative language , software deployment , term (time) , geography , human geography , sociology , economic geography , computer science , linguistics , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , operating system
In this paper I describe the changing use of the figurative term ‘unpack’ in A nglo‐ A merican geographical writing between 1973 and 2013. I present the results of a survey of the term's occurrence, across four decades, in five leading geography journals. I conclude by discussing the implications of ‘unpack’ as a critical instruction and reflecting on what that term's deployment reveals about the prioritisation of scholarly activities in geographical research.