Cultural geographies II: In the critical zone? – Environments, landscapes and life

Abstract

In this second review of recent cultural geography research, I use the concept of The Critical Zone (originally from US Geoscience) as a lens. The environment is far too voluminous a field of cultural geographic research to be surveyed here, but it is too significant a body of research to be overlooked. Here, three key dimensions of Critical Zone studies offer a means to navigate this work: (i) multi-scalar (temporal and spatial) considerations of matter, energy and forces; (ii) biotic and abiotic relations; and, (iii) a commitment to producing knowledge beyond disciplinary silos. Discussion explores each of these in turn before reflecting, to close, on what cultural geographical thought and practice might add to considerations of the criticality of the critical zone.