Exploring Geographers’ networks 1888 to 1923

Exploring Geographers’ networks 1888 to 1923, with particular reference to the place of the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia in the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science’

Michael is a recipient of an RGSSA  Library Research Fellowship in 2026. 

Geographical Societies played an important role in creating and disseminating geographical knowledge, especially prior to the institutionalisation of the discipline via the establishment of university Geography Departments. The Royal Geographical Society of South Australia (RGSSA) dates from a decade when many equivalent societies were formed. The strong association of geography with exploration is examined along with the extent to which the RGSSA developed its own geographical explanations independent of the Metropole (and the Royal Geographical Society). Finally, the RGSSA’s role in disseminating geographical understanding across Australia and New Zealand is examined through its participation in the meetings of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science from 1893 to 1940.