Create a journal, break a monopoly. Elements for a socio-history of L’Espace géographique (1 doc.)
When it was launched in 1972, L’Espace géographique set out to become a scientific, generalist and (inter)national journal, breaking the monopoly held by the Annales de géographie since its launch in 1891. By introducing competing perspectives considered to be ‘‘modern’’, the journal gave rise to a field of journals in French geography. This article looks at the social conditions that made this venture conceivable, possible and successful. The (exploratory) study uses a Bourdieusian socio-historical approach, combining archives and interviews, some of which have never been published, to document these unexplored events.
keywords: L’ESPACE GEOGRAPHIQUE, FIELD OF JOURNALS, SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, SOCIO-HISTORY OF GEOGRAPHY, SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE
Feminisation and gender dynamics in scientific production: The French journal L’Espace géographique as a case study (1972-2022) (3 fig.)
Fifty years after the creation of L’Espace géographique, the role of women in the journal has made significant strides, reflecting the same shift of their status in the academic world. Although women still do not make up half of the contributors to the journal, they have occupied key positions since the 2000s and are increasingly numerous among the authors. A gendered statistical study of mastheads and contributors, enriched with interviews with key figures of the journal, provides an evolving account of women’s presence from a diachronic and comparative perspective (with the journals Hérodote and Annales de géographie).
keywords: ACADEMIC JOURNAL, FEMINISATION, FEMINIST GEOGRAPHY, GENDER INEQUALITIES, MASTHEAD
The geography of L’Espace géographique (5 fig.; 1 tabl.)
L'Espace géographique is an academic journal founded in 1972; where have the authors of its publications come from? The appeal for openness expressed in the editorial of the first issue is put into perspective by analysing the geography of publications on the basis of their authors’ institutional affiliations. The changing composition of the editorial board, the role of the French-speaking world and the influence of French establishments abroad are also considered. The analysis is carried out at the level of countries and urban areas. We have observed that the majority of contributions emanate from a core group of countries and urban areas that were already involved in the journal during its first twenty years. Since the early 2000s, the proportion of co-publications has grown considerably, while the weight of publications from the Paris conurbation has increased. Several factors can explain these dynamics: the location of the journal’s headquarters in Paris, the evolution of its image, competition from international journals, and the logic of flows.
keywords: COLLABORATION NETWORKS, FRENCH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES, GEOGRAPHICAL OPENNESS, SPATIAL SCIENTOMETRICS, WORLD
Three geography journals and fifty years of editorial board. Notes for a dynamic analysis of editorial work in social sciences (1 fig.; 1 tabl.)
The study of the editorial board of three geography journals (Annales de géographie, L’Espace géographique, Hérodote) from 1972 to 2022 highlights several changes in scientific editorial work: the slow homogenisation of the format and section headings, changes in staff numbers, and uneven practices in terms of renewal and institutional diversification of the people involved. Unexpectedly, the oldest French geography journal has the youngest editorial board, while Hérodote and L’Espace géographique’s editorial committees are unmistakenly ageaing. However, all three of the journals studied are increasingly focusing on the French academic world.
keywords: EDITORIAL BOARD, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY OF SCIENCE, SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS
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L’Espace géographique: contents
Last modified: January 28, 2025
