Methodologies for decolonising geography curricula in the secondary school and in initial teacher education

While a clear rationale for the need to decolonise school geography curricula has been proposed, there are few examples of what this looks like in practice. Drawing on our professional practice in both a secondary school and a university setting, we outline two case studies of decolonising the curriculum that centre on promoting student agency. The first is a Year 7 geography unit of work, and the second is a walking tour of London for an initial teacher education programme for secondary school geography teachers. Through these case studies, we argue for the importance of encouraging students to think about geographical relations with other places, and build on studies which foreground the importance of place as a pedagogic device through which the aims of decolonisation can be furthered

What enables student geography teachers to thrive during their PGCE year and beyond?

Drawing on the perspectives of six student teachers (including five geography specialists) and two teacher educators, four key components are identified as being crucial to enable those undertaking a geography-focused programme of Initial Teacher Education to thrive rather than simply survive. These include, (1) nurturing an enjoyment of geography, (2) engaging with education research to underpin classroom practice, (3) developing communities of practice within and beyond school and university settings and, (4) building teacher identity through regular reflection that considers an individual’s values. These insights will have relevance for those considering or undertaking a career as a geography teacher and for school and university partnerships that provide Initial Teacher Education programmes

Humble geopolitics: rethinking natural hazards in South Iceland

This thesis is concerned with the ways that communities in South Iceland are negatively affected by their geologically active environment. I argue that contemporary theorisations of hazards in human geography retain a militaristic preoccupation with catastrophe, antagonism and annihilation that actively impedes a fuller attention to the ways that communities live with hazards. In this thesis, I develop a new set of theoretical concepts which together map out the dimensions of what I term a âhumble geopoliticsâ of natural hazards. Humble geopolitics draws attention to the complex spatio-temporal, non- catastrophic dimensions of geo-tectonic hazards and brings into relief the partialities of official programmes of hazard management in Iceland. I show the value of this reformulated geopolitics by working this concept through three empirical case studies that explore the role of a museum, citizen science and local community groups in catalysing experiences of earthly volatility and configuring modes of public response to it. These case studies illuminate the different space-times in which hazards are experienced, the diverse practices through which public participation is expressed and the different logics that underpin everyday modes of hazard governance. In the conclusion, I argue that this work opens up important new avenues for the geographical study of natural hazards, human geography more broadly, and for disaster risk reduction policy.</p