Reflections on Topophilia

Abstract

As a teacher and a researcher of economic geography, looking backwards provides the appropriate place to start considering the past and the future impact of Yi-Fu Tuan’s seminal work. In 1974, Topophilia, presented a broad and deep analysis of the relationships between people, place and the environment.  Its 1990 edition was no less prescient with an ever-increasing concern about the health of our planet and “present[ed] a general framework for discussing all the ways that human beings can develop a love of place” (Tuan 1990, p.xii).