A century of human geography at Stellenbosch University: Reflections on urban and tourism geography

Abstract

As part of a special edition of the South African Geographical Journal on the centenary of geography at the University of Stellenbosch, this paper briefly documents the evolution of human geography since 1920 in the department. The paper is structured in three sections. First, a brief account is given of the contribution by an era of Piet Serton, founding professor of the department. Second and third, accounts of the urban and tourism geography scholarship, respectively, are provided. Human geographic academic study was characterized by apolitical and positivistic approaches for most of the 100 years. The absence of departmental research into apartheid’s injustices and the immediate post-apartheid era’s policies, outcomes and shortcomings in a period of transition is a reflection of the institutional psyche, politics and staff of the day. Research output has increased dramatically since 2010, but now bears evidence of vigorous attempts to be relevant to the broader society in the subdisciplines of urban and tourism geography.