Encountering soviet geography: oral histories of British geographical studies of the USSR and Eastern Europe 1945-1991

Matless, D., Oldfield, J. and Swain, A. (2007) Encountering soviet geography: oral histories of British geographical studies of the USSR and Eastern Europe 1945-1991. Social and Cultural Geography, 8(3), pp. 353-372. (doi: 10.1080/14649360701488781)

Abstract

This paper considers the history of British geographical studies of the USSR and Eastern Europe 1945-1991, presenting material from a research project which has included thirty-two oral history interviews. Oral history is an especially fruitful research methodology in this context due to the distinct issues of formality and informality involved in researching the Soviet bloc. After discussing the nature of the subdiscipline and the Cold War context, including the role of the British state in shaping the field, the paper considers the role of formal academic meetings and exchanges, and the place of unofficial spaces of encounter in the formation of an intellectual culture. The paper concludes by reflecting on the merits of oral history in studies of the production of geographical knowledge.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Oldfield, Dr Jonathan
• Authors: Matless, D., Oldfield, J., and Swain, A.
• Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General); D History General and Old World > DK Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics; D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
• Journal Name: Social and Cultural Geography
• Publisher: Routledge
• ISSN: 1464-9365
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2007 Routledge
• First Published: First published in Social and Cultural Geography 8(3):353-372
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher