Paul Bishop: recalling an academic life

Abstract

The rationale for this theme section of the journal on Paul Bishop, eminent physical geographer, earth scientist and researcher of human-environment relations, is explained. Paul Bishop (1949–2022), a long-time Professor of Geography at the University of Glasgow, was – indeed, still very much is – a major figure at the cutting-edge of research, scholarship, education and applications in the fields indicated. His academic work has been global in its focus – spanning four continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe), including a substantial body of inquiries centred in Scotland – and has encompassed the time-spans of planetary history (and the geotectonics of long-term landscape change), human history (and the dynamics of environmental influence on human settlement, resource use and cultural practice) and human life-spans (including the histories and heritages of locality). Paul died, too soon, early in 2022. An event to commemorate his academic life and work was held in September 2022, and several contributions to that event have now been written through in substantially revised form for the present theme section. The current piece introduces this theme section, providing a sketch of Paul’s biography, including notes on his time in Glasgow, and cross-referencing with the articles that follow. Appended is also a near-comprehensive bibliography of Paul’s published outputs.