Fieldwork for Human Geography

A highly readable and superbly fun guide to the why and how of doing fieldwork in human geography, this book offers very persuasive perspectives to its target audience - undergraduates who otherwise might just mourn about going into the "foreign" field or take the trip too lightly as a free/subsidized holiday. I recommend it highly to any geographer-wannabes and practicing-geographers. The latter group, including myself, might well rediscover the fun of doing geography
Henry Yeung
Professor of Economic Geography, National University of Singapore

Fieldwork is the heart of most geographic endeavours to the extent that it stimulates our passions and pushes us to ask the pithy questions that build disciplinary knowledge. This book provides an excellent introduction to the art and science of fieldwork. It makes clear that fieldwork is not just about getting out of the classroom and gaining first-hand experience of places, it is about instilling passion about those places
Stuart C. Aitken
Professor, Department of Geography, San Diego State University

This book is set to be an indispensible guide to fieldwork that will enrich the practice of geography in a myriad of different ways. In particular, the diverse materials presented here will encourage students and academics alike to pursue new approaches to their work and instil a greater understanding of the conceptual and methodological breadth of their discipline
Professor Matthew Gandy
Professor of Human Geography, University College London

If fieldwork is an indispensable component of geographical education then this book is equally essential to making the most of fieldwork: at last, students have a guide to making the most of their journeys abroad or closer to home.

At its best fieldwork is a formative experience in which learning about other places is a process of learning about oneself. This book gives students the tools to realise the full potential of what, for many, is the highlight of their geography degree.

Fieldwork is about expanding your horizons while reflecting critically on your own place in the world; this book helps students get the most out of their travels - be they abroad or closer to home
Noel Castree
Professor of Geography, Manchester University

Takes readers through the stages of planning, undertaking, analysing and reflecting on the fieldwork experience. It includes discussions of key issues such as ethics, health and safety, justifying the cost of fieldwork, working in groups, methods of field research and the transferable skills that fieldwork can help to develop. The text is engaging and suitably illustrated with a number of personal "postcards" from scholars who are well known for their fieldwork practice, as well as from recent graduates who reflect on their own experiences in the field... Fieldwork for Human Geography is far more grounded in the field than the more abstract discussions that typify many methods textbooks. There are examples, anecdotes and photographs, as well as more substantive reflections on working in various fieldwork situations.
Times Higher Education

Finally, the kind of book many of us have been waiting for. -- Dr Amini Kamete * drupal *
Part II is especially useful for background reading before students leave for residential fieldwork - especially chapter 6 - which I will recommend all human geography students read. I will obtain multiple copies for our library. -- Dr Carol Ekinsmyth * drupal *
This book provides motivated students with a great insight into how to get the most from their fieldwork. It′s not just the nuts and bolts of methods but also about understanding the process. -- Dr Mags Adams * drupal *
A really worthwhile text which fills a gap in the market unlike others. The chapters on relating fieldwork to skills and job prospects is particularly useful and timely when we need to be arguing for the relevance of taking a Geography degree. The methods and contexts section is also extremely creative and innovative -- Dr Matt Benwell * drupal *
An excellent book, which is particularly valued because of:

* An approach centred on doing fieldwork, as opposed individual methods chapters. This makes it much more holistic and it fills a unique gap in teaching

* It has a strong student-oriented focus.
-- Dr Robert Shaw * drupal *
A good text that provides a slightly different perspective on undertaking fieldwork for Human Geography. The sections on ′Reading the Landscape′ and ′Interviewing for Fieldwork′ were particularly illuminating. -- Dr SIMON PEMBERTON * drupal *
Very thoughtful piece of work! Could become a classic for undergrads. It seems to be published under some pressure, for there are some typos who shouldn′t be in such a book. I′m looking forward to the publication of a second edition without these annoying spelling problems... Maybe one or two thought could be spared to the old fashioned design which most of my students did not like... -- Dr Stefan Zimmermann * drupal *
This is a well written text and interesting to illustrate the challenges of fieldwork in human geography. However, the text is more focused on the challenges surrounding fieldwork rather than specifying the practical methods that can be employed. It does cover some geography and qualitative methods such as interviewing and participant observation, but does lack clear guidelines. However, this is not the purpose of the text. The benefit I observe is about discovering the ′explorer′ in your research, generating excitement about fieldwork, and encouraging a new generation of human geographers. -- Dr Tavis Potts * drupal *
This is a well written text and interesting to illustrate the challenges of fieldwork in human geography. However, the text is more focused on the challenges surrounding fieldwork rather than specifying the practical methods that can be employed. It does cover some geography and qualitative methods such as interviewing and participant observation, but does lack clear guidelines. However, this is not the purpose of the text. The benefit I observe is about discovering the ′explorer′ in your research, generating excitement about fieldwork, and encouraging a new generation of human geographers. -- Dr Tavis Potts * drupal *
Phillips and Johns show the importance of fieldwork in geographical research. Their book gives an answer to many urgent questions appearing during the preparation and execution of fieldwork beginning with the importance of the formulation of a research design. It is an inspiring book not only recommendable for bachelor or MA students but also for PhD students and researchers doing fieldwork. -- Dr Tobias Boos * drupal *
There are a lot of books about fieldwork in human geography. I think this one is really amazing, because it presents the content in a simple and activating way. German books on the topic are usually structured a bit differently, and my students enjoyed this approach to learn about fieldwork.
I would always recommend it as a first read. -- Dr Torsten Wißmann * drupal *
I recommended this book as an introduction to empirical work as it offers a simple, easy to read overview. -- Mr Frederick Massmann * drupal *
This text has been very useful for students with limited or no prior exposure to human geography and related concepts. Very readable. -- Mr Patrick Meehan * drupal *
Very happy with the book. It will be essential reading on a series of our bachelor courses (Human Geography) and master (Cultural Geography) -- Mr Peter Groote * drupal *
This book was very useful in helping me to design a lecture on alternative development theories and practices. The book will also serve to supplement further sessions on this module which will discuss these theories in more detail as the year progresses.In particular the chapters on participant observation and participant geographies neatly summarise participatory theories and cross reference a number of key authors and papers on the subject. It also helps to introduce the idea of participatory and action research which allow the reader to consider different epistemologies.

The book also helps to dymistify some of the expectations and concerns students may have about conducting fieldwork abroad especially in a developing country. As such it is neatly split into two parts, ′Approaching the Field′ and ′Methods and Contexts.′ The first part gives introduces the reader to the practical considerations involved in field work and ranges from justifying the cost, desigining a research proposition to the wider ethical issues involved. The second part presents different scenarios and contexts which the student or researcher could be placed in and the potential value of different epistemologies, ranging from explorer to interviewer to participatory researcher. Clear concise real-life examples and illustrations are provided through out of students and academics in a number of countries to illuminate these ideas, some of which may be new to the reader.

As such it is also being recommended to students as part of their Sociology field trip excursion to Nepal as insights into tried and tested methodologies and methods in that country and in other developing countries are presented.The book serves as a good starting point for students who wish to delve into deeper understandings of fieldwork methodologies but it′s simple and practical structure make it a recommended read for those students who also want an overview or introduction to fieldwork research. -- Mr Richard George * drupal *
cover this field afresh as a textbook and fillign a key gap -- Mr Richard Kotter * drupal *
Liked the overview at the start of chapters and the separate sections.
A little too in depth for the majority of our students who are not geog specialists, but training to lead the subject at a primary level.
Would be ideal for geog degrees. -- Ms Kate Glanville * drupal *