Geographers paying attention to time
- This article is a translation of:
- Géographes attentifs au temps
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1Is the marriage of history and geography so ancient and so deeply rooted in certain minds, the conviction that geography is only the most contemporary layer—in some way the end—of History (always provisional, and always needing to be revisited) that it would be superfluous to draw the attention of geographers to the question of time?
2These days, however, time is making a beautiful comeback, to the forefront of the geographical scene. The chronogeographers mark the sequences of the occupation of space according to the hours of the day and night; in order to measure the time-space budgets of individuals, which reveal or indicate their wealth and their status, time is coupled to the networks or territories they experience; travel times structure the anamorphoses, the time of developments and change slip into the animated maps, the times required for processes determine the scales of spatial objects in dynamic models. “Geography”, says Philippe Pinchemel, “is indeed materialised time, represented ‘interrestrial’ thought”.
3Geographers, at the very moment when time bureaus protest against the inflexibility of regimented schedules—in this century when the apparent immediacy of communications sometimes causes us to doubt the durability of our spaces—let us find a way to avoid the ‘waiting game’ as we confront the new approaches towards time!
4The whole editorial board of Cybergeo wishes you a Happy 2003.
References
Electronic reference
Denise Pumain, « Geographers paying attention to time », Cybergeo: European Journal of Geography [Online], Editorials, Online since 12 January 2003, connection on 29 March 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/cybergeo/733
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