THE RELATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY

This paper has three parts. The first examines the emergence of environmental history as a distinct subset of the history discipline. Its development is discussed, beginning with its roots in American conservation and intellectual history, its evolving ethical and radical emphasis, and ultimate its more internationalist and interdisciplinary views of humans in nature. The various models (mainly anthropological) and agendas for the study of environmental history are examined. The second part considers the contribution of primarily historical and cultural geographers to the larger human/nature debate raised by environmental history. Attention is focused on four areas of study (1) the transformation and modification of earth, (2) global expansion and the capitalist economy, (3) the place of humans in nature and, (4) the interrelationships between habitat, economy and society. The third part surveys some of the implications, commonalities and challenges of the discourse for both disciplines. It is concluded that both disciplines have much to contribute and learn from each other in “the telling of place stories”. © 1994 Academic Press Inc.