New directions in cultural geography revisited

This paper traces the origins and inspiration of Cosgrove and Jackson's () paper ‘New directions in cultural geography’ (Area, 19, 95–101). Noting the contested nature of the idea of a ‘new’ cultural geography and the diversity of work it encompassed, the paper identifies the intellectual sources on which the project was based, including the work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies. The paper concludes by considering the contemporary relevance of these ideas in facing the ‘grand challenges’ of the 21st century, including the potential application of ‘nexus thinking’ in addressing the connections between environment and sustainability, culture and society.