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Western Europe: geographical perspectives
Applied
Geography
(198.5), 5, 361-364
Book reviews Clout, H. et al. Western Europe: geographical perspectives. London: Longman. 1985. 193 pp. f7.95 paperback.
of the general approach of this type of regional geography textbook. As the authors outline, their aim has mainly been to provide ‘the geographical background to the European news of the day’, which means that the main emphasis is placed on descriptive information rather than on concise explanation. This sort of approach, which lacks any unifying theoretical framework, therefore mirrors the still very unsatisfactory methodological state of present regional geography. It seems to me that this situation will not be overcome by some rather random and scattered references to more theorybased marxist literature, but only by a very thorough reformulation of the whole approach to regional geography, based on a coherent and explicative theoretical framework. This challenge has still to be taken up; until such times it is very unlikely that we will ever hear anything really new and satisfactory on the geography of a particular region, country or continent.
This book advertises itself as ‘a fundamental text on Western Europe’ and ‘a balanced appraisal of broad conditions in its eighteen states’. As there have already been published several similar textbooks on the same topic in recent years (the most similar being B. Ilbery’s Western Europe in 1981), and as this particular book has been written by four well-known British geographers, who have published widely on European matters, one might have quite high expectations of hearing something new on the geography of Western Europe. After a short introduction by the editor, which emphasizes the changing conditions of European development since the disappearance of the high economic growth rates and planning optimism of the 196Os, the book is organized into ten chapters, which broadly cover the most important aspects of West-European geography. Starting with the political evolution of the post-war supranational Rudi Nageli-Oertle University of Berne treaties (mainly NATO, EFTA and EEC), the book goes on to describe the major demographic, social and occupational changes since the 19.50% and the related migration processes between and Bowler, I. R, Agricufture under the Common within the European countries. The more economy-related parts of the book Agricultural Policy: a geography. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1985. 255 pp. f 19.50 include a chapter on energy (mainly on growing energy demand, the effects of the oil crisis and hardback. exploitation of new energy resources), a chapter on industry (mainly on growing environmental There are few subjects attended by more polemics problems, the rise of the multinational firm, and or more confusion than the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Community. All poiiticians three case-studies on oil refining, petrochemicals and the car industry), a chapter on agriculture (on and most journalists regard themselves as rural depopulation, land tenure patterns, producauthorities upon it, and, since the United Kingdom tion and the Common Agricultural Policy), and joined the Community in 1973, there has been a finally a chapter on various aspects of the steady flow of academic books and articles upon surrounding seas. the subject, mainly-quite naturally-by econoTwo further chapters are devoted to urban mists, and for the most part critical of the development, and recreation and conservation policy. However, most of these works have topics; and the final chapter outlines some trends in neglected the spatial aspects of EC agricuhure and regional development as well as a broad overview the regional consequences of CAP, and this is on national and Community-wide regional policies. where Ian Bowler’s excellent book makes its most Overall, the book provides a reasonable introuseful contribution. duction to the changing geographical patterns of The early chapters review the origins of the EC post-war development in Western Europe, and the Common Agricultural Policy, the policyalthough the reader might have occasionally wished making institutions and the aims-or at least the for some more detailed or additional information original aims-of the CAP. The extraordinary (e.g. the industry chapter does not give an adequate power of the agricultural interest in policy making enough picture of the existing industrial structure is noted, extraordinary in the sense that agriculture in Europe, and there is also little or nothing on contributes little to the Gross Domestic Product of trade, transport or communications) and the design the EC and employs a small part of the work-force. of several maps could be improved considerably. A chapter is then devoted to the various But of more importance appears to me the question instruments of policy; the author notes that CAP is
Geography
(198.5), 5, 361-364
Book reviews Clout, H. et al. Western Europe: geographical perspectives. London: Longman. 1985. 193 pp. f7.95 paperback.
of the general approach of this type of regional geography textbook. As the authors outline, their aim has mainly been to provide ‘the geographical background to the European news of the day’, which means that the main emphasis is placed on descriptive information rather than on concise explanation. This sort of approach, which lacks any unifying theoretical framework, therefore mirrors the still very unsatisfactory methodological state of present regional geography. It seems to me that this situation will not be overcome by some rather random and scattered references to more theorybased marxist literature, but only by a very thorough reformulation of the whole approach to regional geography, based on a coherent and explicative theoretical framework. This challenge has still to be taken up; until such times it is very unlikely that we will ever hear anything really new and satisfactory on the geography of a particular region, country or continent.
This book advertises itself as ‘a fundamental text on Western Europe’ and ‘a balanced appraisal of broad conditions in its eighteen states’. As there have already been published several similar textbooks on the same topic in recent years (the most similar being B. Ilbery’s Western Europe in 1981), and as this particular book has been written by four well-known British geographers, who have published widely on European matters, one might have quite high expectations of hearing something new on the geography of Western Europe. After a short introduction by the editor, which emphasizes the changing conditions of European development since the disappearance of the high economic growth rates and planning optimism of the 196Os, the book is organized into ten chapters, which broadly cover the most important aspects of West-European geography. Starting with the political evolution of the post-war supranational Rudi Nageli-Oertle University of Berne treaties (mainly NATO, EFTA and EEC), the book goes on to describe the major demographic, social and occupational changes since the 19.50% and the related migration processes between and Bowler, I. R, Agricufture under the Common within the European countries. The more economy-related parts of the book Agricultural Policy: a geography. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1985. 255 pp. f 19.50 include a chapter on energy (mainly on growing energy demand, the effects of the oil crisis and hardback. exploitation of new energy resources), a chapter on industry (mainly on growing environmental There are few subjects attended by more polemics problems, the rise of the multinational firm, and or more confusion than the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Community. All poiiticians three case-studies on oil refining, petrochemicals and the car industry), a chapter on agriculture (on and most journalists regard themselves as rural depopulation, land tenure patterns, producauthorities upon it, and, since the United Kingdom tion and the Common Agricultural Policy), and joined the Community in 1973, there has been a finally a chapter on various aspects of the steady flow of academic books and articles upon surrounding seas. the subject, mainly-quite naturally-by econoTwo further chapters are devoted to urban mists, and for the most part critical of the development, and recreation and conservation policy. However, most of these works have topics; and the final chapter outlines some trends in neglected the spatial aspects of EC agricuhure and regional development as well as a broad overview the regional consequences of CAP, and this is on national and Community-wide regional policies. where Ian Bowler’s excellent book makes its most Overall, the book provides a reasonable introuseful contribution. duction to the changing geographical patterns of The early chapters review the origins of the EC post-war development in Western Europe, and the Common Agricultural Policy, the policyalthough the reader might have occasionally wished making institutions and the aims-or at least the for some more detailed or additional information original aims-of the CAP. The extraordinary (e.g. the industry chapter does not give an adequate power of the agricultural interest in policy making enough picture of the existing industrial structure is noted, extraordinary in the sense that agriculture in Europe, and there is also little or nothing on contributes little to the Gross Domestic Product of trade, transport or communications) and the design the EC and employs a small part of the work-force. of several maps could be improved considerably. A chapter is then devoted to the various But of more importance appears to me the question instruments of policy; the author notes that CAP is