On the Excising of (Urban) Historical Geography from Canadian Geography Departments: A Reflection

Abstract

Historical geography and urban historical geography barely exist as sub-disciplinary idioms in geography department curricula across Canada. Yes, historical geography research flourishes, but the teaching of historical and urban historical geography has all but vanished, except in a tiny number of larger departments. This article asks why—especially given historical geography’s sub-disciplinary commitment to social and environmental justice. But it also wonders whether this circumstance is lamentable, or simply more of the same: change over time, which historical and urban historical geographers document ceaselessly.