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Posts by The Geographical Journal

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Wenwan Jin, Yuxin ZHu, Xiongbin Lin & Xingchuan Gao (2026) entitled: 'Resilience of Agricultural Trade During the US-China Trade War: The Role of Product and Geographical Diversification' with a blue banner at the top. Global shocks often destabilise international trade, and the current tensions in US-China trade relations exemplify this challenge. This study analyses China's customs data during 2019–2022 to identify optimal strategies to help Chinese agricultural products recover faster. The findings reveal that both product and geographical diversification significantly enhance the resilience of China's agricultural trade under trade war pressures, especially for China's eastern regions. While geographical diversification bolsters short-term resilience, product diversification is key to long-term trade stability. Furthermore, the positive impact of product diversification is mainly attributed to the weak relatedness among products, whereas geographical diversification benefits from the strong linkages among China's trading partners. These results highlight the critical role of such diversification in maintaining trade stability during the ongoing US-China trade war and offer valuable insights for formulating agricultural trade strategies.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Wenwan Jin, Yuxin ZHu, Xiongbin Lin & Xingchuan Gao (2026) entitled: 'Resilience of Agricultural Trade During the US-China Trade War: The Role of Product and Geographical Diversification' with a blue banner at the top. Global shocks often destabilise international trade, and the current tensions in US-China trade relations exemplify this challenge. This study analyses China's customs data during 2019–2022 to identify optimal strategies to help Chinese agricultural products recover faster. The findings reveal that both product and geographical diversification significantly enhance the resilience of China's agricultural trade under trade war pressures, especially for China's eastern regions. While geographical diversification bolsters short-term resilience, product diversification is key to long-term trade stability. Furthermore, the positive impact of product diversification is mainly attributed to the weak relatedness among products, whereas geographical diversification benefits from the strong linkages among China's trading partners. These results highlight the critical role of such diversification in maintaining trade stability during the ongoing US-China trade war and offer valuable insights for formulating agricultural trade strategies.

New in The GJ:

'Resilience of agricultural trade during the US-China Trade War: The role of product and geographical diversification' by Wenwan Jin et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

4 days ago 0 0 0 0
Bright orange circular sign on a brick wall reading 'Welcome' with Royal Geographical Society branding partially obscured by green foliage.

Bright orange circular sign on a brick wall reading 'Welcome' with Royal Geographical Society branding partially obscured by green foliage.

Welcome to our research and higher education Bluesky! 👋

Follow us to stay up to date with our work in geographical research, including events, funding opportunities, new publications and more.

Learn more about how we promote geography in higher education and beyond: https://ow.ly/CMgN50YI795

1 week ago 22 20 0 6
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Nathan Clay (2026) entitled: 'Vegetal Infrastructure: Rwanda's Eucalyptus Boom and the Material Politics of Tree Planting as a ‘Nature-Based Solution’' with a blue banner at the top. Planting trees has become a global obsession. Forest restoration and afforestation have been rebranded as ‘nature-based solutions’ to climate change. Nations, corporations and non-profits together aim to plant trillions of trees, roughly equivalent to a new Amazon. This article considers the local implications of this terrestrial transformation. It reports on empirical findings from Rwanda, where over fifty million trees—mostly eucalyptus species—have been planted during the past fifteen years. Based on fieldwork with four rural communities, I demonstrate how the material properties of eucalyptus intersect with state and market rationales to make tree planting profitable, scalable and legible. Building from geographic thinking on infrastructure and human-plant relations, I develop the concept of vegetal infrastructure to analyse how trees are enrolled in political projects, producing durable inequalities that become a palpable fixture on the landscape. The article emphasises the urgent need to diversify global reforestation mandates and offers vegetal infrastructure as a lens to assess their local implications.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Nathan Clay (2026) entitled: 'Vegetal Infrastructure: Rwanda's Eucalyptus Boom and the Material Politics of Tree Planting as a ‘Nature-Based Solution’' with a blue banner at the top. Planting trees has become a global obsession. Forest restoration and afforestation have been rebranded as ‘nature-based solutions’ to climate change. Nations, corporations and non-profits together aim to plant trillions of trees, roughly equivalent to a new Amazon. This article considers the local implications of this terrestrial transformation. It reports on empirical findings from Rwanda, where over fifty million trees—mostly eucalyptus species—have been planted during the past fifteen years. Based on fieldwork with four rural communities, I demonstrate how the material properties of eucalyptus intersect with state and market rationales to make tree planting profitable, scalable and legible. Building from geographic thinking on infrastructure and human-plant relations, I develop the concept of vegetal infrastructure to analyse how trees are enrolled in political projects, producing durable inequalities that become a palpable fixture on the landscape. The article emphasises the urgent need to diversify global reforestation mandates and offers vegetal infrastructure as a lens to assess their local implications.

New in The GJ:

'Vegetal infrastructure: Rwanda's eucalyptus boom and the material politics of tree planting as a "nature-based solution"' by Nathan Clay

This paper critically evaluates local implications of global tree-planting mandates, drawing on fieldwork in Rwanda.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

1 week ago 4 2 0 0
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The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library This paper examines a recruitment commercial from the Super Bowl on 9 February 2025 in terms of its spectacularisation of petroleum's abiding yet volatile influence. The minute-long piece on behalf o....

New in The GJ:

'Petropower in law-enforcement advertising at Super Bowl LIX' by Daniel Finch-Race & @pancholewis.bsky.social

This commentary examines a recruitment ad from the 2025 Super Bowl in the context of contemporary geopolitics & low-carbon energy transitions.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

2 weeks ago 2 2 0 1
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The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library This study examines how central urban public spaces in Lisbon function as infrastructures of arrival, mediating migrant integration in everyday life and space. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with ...

New in The GJ:

'The arrival grid: Public space as migrant social infrastructure in Central Lisbon' by @duygu-c.bsky.social

This paper introduces the concept of the arrival grid as a socio-spatial framework theorising how migrants shape urban space beyond formal integration

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0

New publication alert! Happy to share this paper with Sarah Peck thinking about declining Overseas Development Assistance and its implications for geographical (and other) scholarship. Details ⬇️

3 weeks ago 1 1 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Robin Finlay, Matthew C. Benwell & Peter Hopkins (2026) entitled: 'Domesticating the UK's Hostile Environment: Forced Migrants' Lived Experiences of Making ‘Home’' with a blue banner at the top. In this paper, we analyse the lived experiences of forced migrants in dispersal accommodation in the UK, contributing to understandings of the policies and politics of the hostile environment immigration regime in relation to the domestic sphere. More specifically, our research addresses the relative dearth of work exploring the intimate lived experiences of forced migrants by considering how the asylum regime shapes understandings of home and constrains processes of homemaking. We examine how material and social aspects of dispersal accommodation work to limit forced migrants' sense of home. We show how ‘out of place’ materialities, such as leaks, damp and infestations of insects, alongside broken and absent material fittings, such as decaying and missing furniture, undermine the making of a safe and comfortable home. We also illustrate how social relations within and around dispersal accommodation, including relationships and encounters with neighbours and flatmates, can undermine one's sense of home and belonging. By illustrating the interconnections of the material and social, we contribute to understandings of forced migrants' experiences of housing that are constituted through an assemblage of people, objects, relations, emotions and broader political policies. Whilst forced migrants respond to precarious housing through diverse coping strategies, this paper shows that within the context of a hostile UK asylum and migration system, the ability to make home is highly constrained.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Robin Finlay, Matthew C. Benwell & Peter Hopkins (2026) entitled: 'Domesticating the UK's Hostile Environment: Forced Migrants' Lived Experiences of Making ‘Home’' with a blue banner at the top. In this paper, we analyse the lived experiences of forced migrants in dispersal accommodation in the UK, contributing to understandings of the policies and politics of the hostile environment immigration regime in relation to the domestic sphere. More specifically, our research addresses the relative dearth of work exploring the intimate lived experiences of forced migrants by considering how the asylum regime shapes understandings of home and constrains processes of homemaking. We examine how material and social aspects of dispersal accommodation work to limit forced migrants' sense of home. We show how ‘out of place’ materialities, such as leaks, damp and infestations of insects, alongside broken and absent material fittings, such as decaying and missing furniture, undermine the making of a safe and comfortable home. We also illustrate how social relations within and around dispersal accommodation, including relationships and encounters with neighbours and flatmates, can undermine one's sense of home and belonging. By illustrating the interconnections of the material and social, we contribute to understandings of forced migrants' experiences of housing that are constituted through an assemblage of people, objects, relations, emotions and broader political policies. Whilst forced migrants respond to precarious housing through diverse coping strategies, this paper shows that within the context of a hostile UK asylum and migration system, the ability to make home is highly constrained.

New in The GJ:

'Domesticating the UK's hostile environment: Forced migrants' lived experiences of making "home"' by @robinfinlay.bsky.social et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

4 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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1 month ago 5 4 0 0
Screenshot of a commentary abstract in The Geographical Journal by Sarah Peck & Matt Baillie Smith (2026) entitled: 'Infrastructures of (Dis)Connection: Declining Overseas Development Assistance and the Shifting Geographies of Development' with a blue banner at the top. This short commentary hopes to stimulate debate about reductions in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), particularly by the United States and the United Kingdom in 2025. Drawing on three key areas of geographical scholarship, we consider firstly the intersections between ODA and labour geographies, secondly we engage with relational theorising to consider repercussions for development ecosystems, and finally we explore potential impacts on the wider geographies of aid and development. In doing so, we hope to use these geographically inspired lenses to broaden conversations about declining ODA and ‘Aidland’ and to acknowledge and surface the contradictions presented to development geographers at this critical moment. By articulating the potential of geographically inspired scholarship for thinking about declining ODA, we conclude by opening up further questions about future ‘public’ geographies of development.

Screenshot of a commentary abstract in The Geographical Journal by Sarah Peck & Matt Baillie Smith (2026) entitled: 'Infrastructures of (Dis)Connection: Declining Overseas Development Assistance and the Shifting Geographies of Development' with a blue banner at the top. This short commentary hopes to stimulate debate about reductions in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), particularly by the United States and the United Kingdom in 2025. Drawing on three key areas of geographical scholarship, we consider firstly the intersections between ODA and labour geographies, secondly we engage with relational theorising to consider repercussions for development ecosystems, and finally we explore potential impacts on the wider geographies of aid and development. In doing so, we hope to use these geographically inspired lenses to broaden conversations about declining ODA and ‘Aidland’ and to acknowledge and surface the contradictions presented to development geographers at this critical moment. By articulating the potential of geographically inspired scholarship for thinking about declining ODA, we conclude by opening up further questions about future ‘public’ geographies of development.

New commentary in The GJ:

'Infrastructures of (dis)connection: Declining Overseas Development Assistance and the shifting geographies of
development' by Sarah Peck & @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

1 month ago 3 1 0 2
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Solomon Prince Nathaniel, Dimitrios Dimitriou, Süleyman Bolat & Simplice A. Asongu (2026) entitled: 'Does Education Mediate the Relationship Between Renewable Energy and Ecological Footprint in Africa? Evidence From New Artificial Intelligence Methods' with a blue banner at the top.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Solomon Prince Nathaniel, Dimitrios Dimitriou, Süleyman Bolat & Simplice A. Asongu (2026) entitled: 'Does Education Mediate the Relationship Between Renewable Energy and Ecological Footprint in Africa? Evidence From New Artificial Intelligence Methods' with a blue banner at the top.

New in The GJ:

'Does education mediate the relationship between renewable energy and ecological footprint in Africa? Evidence from new artificial intelligence methods' by Solomon Prince Nathaniel et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

1 month ago 1 0 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Gary Higgs & Mitchel Langford (2026) entitled: 'Generating Impact: Challenges Faced When Promoting the Adoption of Geographical Tools for Informing Public Policy' with a blue banner at the top. Drawing on the application of spatial analytical tools (based on floating catchment area (FCA) methods), this commentary highlights some of the challenges faced in promoting the use of geographical techniques to address aspects of government policy/delivery. There is an ever-expanding academic literature concerned with the application of FCA techniques in a range of thematic areas, the majority of which inevitably conclude with claims for some degree of policy relevance. If geographers are to have a meaningful input, there is a need to demonstrate the impact of applying these types of spatial analytical techniques to address real-world policy challenges. We draw on our experiences in using these tools in applied studies to firstly highlight an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to advocate for an alternative methodology as part of the construction of a domain of indicators in successive versions of an index of multiple deprivation in Wales. Meanwhile, researchers based within Ofsted, by drawing on the application of multi-modal FCA approaches to measure localised access to childcare in England, have shown that it is possible to work in collaboration with academics and others to address important government policy initiatives using such techniques. We conclude by briefly summarising the lessons learnt from our experiences of applying these tools in policy contexts with varying degrees of impact.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Gary Higgs & Mitchel Langford (2026) entitled: 'Generating Impact: Challenges Faced When Promoting the Adoption of Geographical Tools for Informing Public Policy' with a blue banner at the top. Drawing on the application of spatial analytical tools (based on floating catchment area (FCA) methods), this commentary highlights some of the challenges faced in promoting the use of geographical techniques to address aspects of government policy/delivery. There is an ever-expanding academic literature concerned with the application of FCA techniques in a range of thematic areas, the majority of which inevitably conclude with claims for some degree of policy relevance. If geographers are to have a meaningful input, there is a need to demonstrate the impact of applying these types of spatial analytical techniques to address real-world policy challenges. We draw on our experiences in using these tools in applied studies to firstly highlight an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to advocate for an alternative methodology as part of the construction of a domain of indicators in successive versions of an index of multiple deprivation in Wales. Meanwhile, researchers based within Ofsted, by drawing on the application of multi-modal FCA approaches to measure localised access to childcare in England, have shown that it is possible to work in collaboration with academics and others to address important government policy initiatives using such techniques. We conclude by briefly summarising the lessons learnt from our experiences of applying these tools in policy contexts with varying degrees of impact.

New commentary in The GJ:

'Generating impact: Challenges faced when promoting the adoption of geographical tools for informing public policy' by Gary Higgs & Mitchel Langford

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Ekene ThankGod Emeka, Simplice A. Asongu, Davidmac O. Ekeocha & Vanessa S. Tchamyou (2026) entitled: 'Towards Economic Resilience in Africa: The Complementary Roles of Economic Complexity and Foreign Direct Investment' with a blue banner at the top. This study focuses on two key objectives: first, to evaluate the unconditional effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic resilience in Africa and, second, to investigate the relevance of economic complexity in shaping the FDI–economic resilience nexus. The analysis is based on a panel of 34 African countries covering the years 2011–2023, employing the dynamic system generalised method of moments (GMM) and the bias-corrected method of moments (BCMM) as the two dynamic estimation techniques for the study. While the dynamic system GMM served as the baseline estimator, the BCMM was employed as a robustness check in response to recent concerns regarding the reliability of system GMM. The BCMM approach robustly addresses and corrects for endogeneity, cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity. In this study, economic resilience is defined by macroeconomic stability, market efficiency and governance. The findings reveal a positive synergy between FDI and economic resilience, with economic complexity further amplifying the positive impact of FDI on economic resilience. In light of these findings, the study advances policy recommendations that align with both the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Ekene ThankGod Emeka, Simplice A. Asongu, Davidmac O. Ekeocha & Vanessa S. Tchamyou (2026) entitled: 'Towards Economic Resilience in Africa: The Complementary Roles of Economic Complexity and Foreign Direct Investment' with a blue banner at the top. This study focuses on two key objectives: first, to evaluate the unconditional effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic resilience in Africa and, second, to investigate the relevance of economic complexity in shaping the FDI–economic resilience nexus. The analysis is based on a panel of 34 African countries covering the years 2011–2023, employing the dynamic system generalised method of moments (GMM) and the bias-corrected method of moments (BCMM) as the two dynamic estimation techniques for the study. While the dynamic system GMM served as the baseline estimator, the BCMM was employed as a robustness check in response to recent concerns regarding the reliability of system GMM. The BCMM approach robustly addresses and corrects for endogeneity, cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity. In this study, economic resilience is defined by macroeconomic stability, market efficiency and governance. The findings reveal a positive synergy between FDI and economic resilience, with economic complexity further amplifying the positive impact of FDI on economic resilience. In light of these findings, the study advances policy recommendations that align with both the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

New in The GJ:

'Towards economic resilience in Africa: The complementary roles of economic complexity and foreign direct investment' by Ekene ThankGod Emeka et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Petra de Braal, Stijn Oosterlynck, Michael Leyshon, Catherine Leyshon & Shukru Esmene (2026) entitled: '‘I Really Don't Have Time to Talk and Listen to All Those People’: Care Responsibilities and Privileged Irresponsibility in the Devolution of Social Services in the Netherlands' with a blue banner at the top. This paper analyses the micro-scale geographies of care within newly devolved social services in The Netherlands. Across Europe, welfare reforms have reconfigured the spatial organisation of care, shifting responsibilities to municipalities and expecting closer collaboration between citizens, civil-society organisations and local governments. We analyse how these spatial and institutional transformations shape the everyday negotiation of care responsibilities within Buren Helpen Elkaar, a locally organised initiative that mobilises volunteers to support residents (primarily elderly people) to continue living independently at home. Drawing on Tronto's political ethics of care, we investigate how care is interpreted, allocated and enacted across local actors. The analysis is based on qualitative data from thirty-six interviews, participatory observations and policy and organisational documents. Our findings show that, despite its promise of fostering more cooperative citizen-state relations, the initiative is marked by dynamics of ‘privileged irresponsibility’. Professionals and volunteers withdraw from particular tasks by claiming to be ‘too busy’, by narrowing definitions of legitimate need or by shifting responsibility to other actors. By tracing how responsibility is negotiated and redistributed in place, the paper offers a micro-scale account of devolved welfare that foregrounds the relational dynamics shaping local care provision. It also shows how everyday practices can undermine the intentions of welfare reforms and contribute to uneven outcomes across communities.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Petra de Braal, Stijn Oosterlynck, Michael Leyshon, Catherine Leyshon & Shukru Esmene (2026) entitled: '‘I Really Don't Have Time to Talk and Listen to All Those People’: Care Responsibilities and Privileged Irresponsibility in the Devolution of Social Services in the Netherlands' with a blue banner at the top. This paper analyses the micro-scale geographies of care within newly devolved social services in The Netherlands. Across Europe, welfare reforms have reconfigured the spatial organisation of care, shifting responsibilities to municipalities and expecting closer collaboration between citizens, civil-society organisations and local governments. We analyse how these spatial and institutional transformations shape the everyday negotiation of care responsibilities within Buren Helpen Elkaar, a locally organised initiative that mobilises volunteers to support residents (primarily elderly people) to continue living independently at home. Drawing on Tronto's political ethics of care, we investigate how care is interpreted, allocated and enacted across local actors. The analysis is based on qualitative data from thirty-six interviews, participatory observations and policy and organisational documents. Our findings show that, despite its promise of fostering more cooperative citizen-state relations, the initiative is marked by dynamics of ‘privileged irresponsibility’. Professionals and volunteers withdraw from particular tasks by claiming to be ‘too busy’, by narrowing definitions of legitimate need or by shifting responsibility to other actors. By tracing how responsibility is negotiated and redistributed in place, the paper offers a micro-scale account of devolved welfare that foregrounds the relational dynamics shaping local care provision. It also shows how everyday practices can undermine the intentions of welfare reforms and contribute to uneven outcomes across communities.

New in The GJ:

'"I really don't have time to talk and listen to all those people": Care responsibilities and privileged irresponsibility in the devolution of social services in the Netherlands' by Petra de Braal et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Alexandru-Sabin Nicula, Remus Crețan, Alexandru Dragan & Bogdan Oancea (2026) entitled: 'Computational Analysis of Contested Monuments and Collective Memory in a Multiethnic City' with a blue banner at the top.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Alexandru-Sabin Nicula, Remus Crețan, Alexandru Dragan & Bogdan Oancea (2026) entitled: 'Computational Analysis of Contested Monuments and Collective Memory in a Multiethnic City' with a blue banner at the top.

New in The GJ:

'Computational analysis of contested monuments and collective memory in a multiethnic city' by Alexandru-Sabin Nicula et al.

This paper analyses how 4 monuments in Cluj-Napoca reflect Romanian-Hungarian relations & the negotiation of collective memory.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

1 month ago 2 1 0 0

This blog post is written by two of our recent authors - read their original commentary here: doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

1 month ago 1 0 0 0
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The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library The global visibility and political weight of the Olympic Games can inspire climate change action. Yet, at the same time, the Olympics are also significant carbon emitters. To date, however, there is...

New in The GJ:

'Past carbon emissions and future targets for the Olympic Games' by David Gogishvili & Martin Müller

As the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony takes place today, this commentary reflects on the sustainability targets for the Games.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

2 months ago 0 1 0 0
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Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Clare Holdsworth, Daniel Allen, Mark Lucherini & Cameron Causer (2026) entitled: '(No) Pets on University Campuses: ‘Animaling’ Citizenship for Pet-Friendly Spaces' with a blue banner at the top.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Clare Holdsworth, Daniel Allen, Mark Lucherini & Cameron Causer (2026) entitled: '(No) Pets on University Campuses: ‘Animaling’ Citizenship for Pet-Friendly Spaces' with a blue banner at the top.

New in The GJ!

'(No) pets on university campuses: "Animaling" citizenship for pet-friendly spaces' by @threading-time.bsky.social et al.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

2 months ago 1 0 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Lydia Osei (2026) entitled: 'Youth Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners' Perspectives on the Health Effects of Mercury' with a blue banner at the top. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has gained prominence in the development discourse mainly due to its contribution to national economies; but also, the occupational and environmental challenges associated with the sector. This paper concentrates on the use of mercury at ASM sites, as one of the major concerns associated with a growing sector in Ghana. The paper reveals that youth miners have limited knowledge of the grave health effects of mercury because such knowledge is based on what is transmitted by their older counterparts. Some miners have devised crude ways of protecting themselves against the effects of mercury. The paper proposes that an improved education on the effects of mercury on the health of youth miners could be an essential component of formalising the sector, which will also prove to be a key strategy to achieving the goal of reducing and eliminating mercury from ASM.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Lydia Osei (2026) entitled: 'Youth Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners' Perspectives on the Health Effects of Mercury' with a blue banner at the top. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has gained prominence in the development discourse mainly due to its contribution to national economies; but also, the occupational and environmental challenges associated with the sector. This paper concentrates on the use of mercury at ASM sites, as one of the major concerns associated with a growing sector in Ghana. The paper reveals that youth miners have limited knowledge of the grave health effects of mercury because such knowledge is based on what is transmitted by their older counterparts. Some miners have devised crude ways of protecting themselves against the effects of mercury. The paper proposes that an improved education on the effects of mercury on the health of youth miners could be an essential component of formalising the sector, which will also prove to be a key strategy to achieving the goal of reducing and eliminating mercury from ASM.

New in The GJ:

'Youth artisanal and small-scale miners' perspectives on the health effects of mercury' by Lydia Osei

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

2 months ago 2 0 0 0
A photograph of a promotional art event in the Himalayas staged by Arc'teryx in collaboration with artist Cai Guo-Qiang showing colourful fireworks exploding in a snaking path pattern up the side of a snow-topped mountain.

A photograph of a promotional art event in the Himalayas staged by Arc'teryx in collaboration with artist Cai Guo-Qiang showing colourful fireworks exploding in a snaking path pattern up the side of a snow-topped mountain.

New commentary in The GJ:

'Can the Himalayas speak? Firework art, marketing and posthuman ethics of nature' by Yana Wengel & Ling Ma

This piece examines Arc'teryx's use of Himalayan mountain landscapes for a global branding exercise, the 'Rising Dragon' fireworks in 2025.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

3 months ago 4 2 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Abdelbaseer A. Mohamed (2026) entitled: 'Commercialisation and Visitor Perceptions of Cairo's Urban Parks: A Machine Learning Analysis of User-Generated Images' with a blue banner at the top. Urban parks in rapidly growing cities serve multiple functions. However, the interplay between natural aesthetics, recreation and commercialisation remains underexplored, especially in the Global South. This study analysed 3179 user-generated Google Reviews images from 17 public parks in Cairo. We applied topic modelling, K-means clustering and associative word analysis to examine visitor perceptions. Three main themes emerged: Family & Recreation, Natural Scenery & Greenery, and Crowds & Urban Activity. The analysis revealed both distinctive park identities and common commercial features, such as restaurants and ticketed facilities. Clustering highlighted a spectrum of park experiences, from natural, low-commercial spaces to highly commercialised, family-focused destinations. Findings show that commercialisation not only enhances attractiveness and recreational opportunities but also affects accessibility and place identity. This research provides a framework for understanding visitor perceptions and supports sustainable and inclusive park management in urban contexts of the Global South.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Abdelbaseer A. Mohamed (2026) entitled: 'Commercialisation and Visitor Perceptions of Cairo's Urban Parks: A Machine Learning Analysis of User-Generated Images' with a blue banner at the top. Urban parks in rapidly growing cities serve multiple functions. However, the interplay between natural aesthetics, recreation and commercialisation remains underexplored, especially in the Global South. This study analysed 3179 user-generated Google Reviews images from 17 public parks in Cairo. We applied topic modelling, K-means clustering and associative word analysis to examine visitor perceptions. Three main themes emerged: Family & Recreation, Natural Scenery & Greenery, and Crowds & Urban Activity. The analysis revealed both distinctive park identities and common commercial features, such as restaurants and ticketed facilities. Clustering highlighted a spectrum of park experiences, from natural, low-commercial spaces to highly commercialised, family-focused destinations. Findings show that commercialisation not only enhances attractiveness and recreational opportunities but also affects accessibility and place identity. This research provides a framework for understanding visitor perceptions and supports sustainable and inclusive park management in urban contexts of the Global South.

New in The GJ:

'Commercialisation and visitor perceptions of Cairo's urban parks: A machine learning analysis of user-generated images' by Abdelbaseer A. Mohamed

This study analyses Google reviews of public parks in Cairo to examine visitor perception.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

3 months ago 1 0 0 0

The latest RGS-IBG Research Spotlight focuses on work by Rory Coulter in a recently published GJ paper on housing inequality & ethnic disparities in overcrowding.

Read the original paper here: doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

3 months ago 0 1 0 0
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The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library Electronic waste (e-waste) in Accra is shown to be plural and ontologically multiple, enacted as livelihood, commodity, hazard, governance object and political actor across dispersed recycling networ...

New in The GJ!

'The plural lives of e-waste: Valuation and contestation in Accra's recycling network(s)' by Ebenezer Gyampoh Amoah

This paper extends conceptualisations of e-waste, exploring how valuation, informality, & governance are co-produced in African cities.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

3 months ago 2 1 0 0

Are you a physical geographer looking for an editorial opportunity? Join the wonderful team at The Geographical Journal - details below⬇️

4 months ago 2 7 0 0
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Are you a physical geographer looking for an editorial opportunity? Join the wonderful team at The Geographical Journal - details below⬇️

4 months ago 2 7 0 0
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The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library Industrialisation has reshaped European rural areas, leading to both depopulation and, in some cases, lifestyle-driven repopulation. Our research highlights supply-side barriers to Alpine repopulatio...

New in The GJ:

'The (im)possibilities of repopulation: How supply-side factors hinder the revitalisation of vacant houses in rural mountain regions' by Bernhard Grüner & Elisabeth Gruber

This paper is part of an ongoing Special Section: 'Depopulating Places'.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

4 months ago 3 1 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract by Keith Richards, Hugh Brammer & Patricia Saunders (2025) entitled: 'Map and Archival Evidence of the Historical Avulsion of the Brahmaputra River' with a blue banner at the top. The Brahmaputra River is one of the world's largest rivers, entering the Bengal Basin from its extensive Himalayan catchment, flowing south through Bangladesh, and joining the Ganges to traverse a complex fan-delta and enter the Bay of Bengal. When Major James Rennell surveyed the river to establish the ‘Route Surveys’ for the East India Company between 1765 and 1777, it followed a different course, turning to the South-East into the Sylhet Basin, and joining the Meghna. Some time after this, it changed its course—it avulsed—and a re-survey was undertaken by Captain Richard Wilcox in 1828–1830 which first showed its present-day southerly route. However, there is uncertainty about when, why, and how this major adjustment occurred, and these questions can only be answered with recourse to archival materials. This paper accordingly pieces together information in the writings of travellers and East India Company officials in the region in the period between 1787 and 1854; evidence of boundary changes in 1806; archival material indicating that the East India Company was concerned enough about declining flow in the ‘Old’ Brahmaputra to consider engineering works by 1845; and contemporary evidence of the widespread impact of severe monsoon floods in 1787; to conclude that the avulsion probably took place rather earlier than often assumed. And intriguingly, it seems that although Rennell left India in 1777, in the first edition of his Memoir published after those floods had occurred (1788), he inserted a brief reference to the Brahmaputra changing its course.

Screenshot of a paper abstract by Keith Richards, Hugh Brammer & Patricia Saunders (2025) entitled: 'Map and Archival Evidence of the Historical Avulsion of the Brahmaputra River' with a blue banner at the top. The Brahmaputra River is one of the world's largest rivers, entering the Bengal Basin from its extensive Himalayan catchment, flowing south through Bangladesh, and joining the Ganges to traverse a complex fan-delta and enter the Bay of Bengal. When Major James Rennell surveyed the river to establish the ‘Route Surveys’ for the East India Company between 1765 and 1777, it followed a different course, turning to the South-East into the Sylhet Basin, and joining the Meghna. Some time after this, it changed its course—it avulsed—and a re-survey was undertaken by Captain Richard Wilcox in 1828–1830 which first showed its present-day southerly route. However, there is uncertainty about when, why, and how this major adjustment occurred, and these questions can only be answered with recourse to archival materials. This paper accordingly pieces together information in the writings of travellers and East India Company officials in the region in the period between 1787 and 1854; evidence of boundary changes in 1806; archival material indicating that the East India Company was concerned enough about declining flow in the ‘Old’ Brahmaputra to consider engineering works by 1845; and contemporary evidence of the widespread impact of severe monsoon floods in 1787; to conclude that the avulsion probably took place rather earlier than often assumed. And intriguingly, it seems that although Rennell left India in 1777, in the first edition of his Memoir published after those floods had occurred (1788), he inserted a brief reference to the Brahmaputra changing its course.

New in The GJ:

'Map and archival evidence of the historical avulsion of the Brahmaputra river' by Keith Richards et al.

This paper pieces together evidence surrounding the avulsion of the Brahmaputra in the late-eighteenth century to suggest its causes.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

4 months ago 3 0 0 0

@jillhopke.bsky.social and I took a closer look at reporting of the climate risk of soil health degradation due to flooding and drought in the UK press. You can read our research paper (open access) in The Geographical Journal.

4 months ago 2 3 0 0
Preview
The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library Risks to soil health from increased flooding and drought due to climate change are a priority risk area for the UK government, but our analysis of two years of UK newspaper coverage on this issue rev...

New publication in The Geographical Journal co-authored by @antalwozniak.bsky.social!! rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

4 months ago 3 2 0 0
Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Antal Wozniak & Jill Hopke (2025) entitled: '(Not) Covering Climate Risks: A Multimodal News Framing Analysis of Soil Health Reporting in the UK Press' with a blue banner at the top. Risks to soil health from increased flooding and drought due to climate change are a priority risk area for the UK government. Our analysis of newspaper coverage of this issue reveals very little attention to it in the two years following the release of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2022. We conduct a qualitative multimodal framing analysis of a population of 42 news reports and their 117 accompanying images. We identify two major issue frames that include soil health as either a remedy or cause: habitat/biodiversity loss and food insecurity. Both focus on adaptation measures, mostly in industrial agriculture and community- or individual-level gardening. Climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration is a secondary aspect that cuts across both issue frames. Policymakers are largely absent, both in writing and imagery. Visuals are often generic and lack representations of loss. Implications for publicly communicating the climate risk of soil degradation are discussed.

Screenshot of a paper abstract in The Geographical Journal by Antal Wozniak & Jill Hopke (2025) entitled: '(Not) Covering Climate Risks: A Multimodal News Framing Analysis of Soil Health Reporting in the UK Press' with a blue banner at the top. Risks to soil health from increased flooding and drought due to climate change are a priority risk area for the UK government. Our analysis of newspaper coverage of this issue reveals very little attention to it in the two years following the release of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2022. We conduct a qualitative multimodal framing analysis of a population of 42 news reports and their 117 accompanying images. We identify two major issue frames that include soil health as either a remedy or cause: habitat/biodiversity loss and food insecurity. Both focus on adaptation measures, mostly in industrial agriculture and community- or individual-level gardening. Climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration is a secondary aspect that cuts across both issue frames. Policymakers are largely absent, both in writing and imagery. Visuals are often generic and lack representations of loss. Implications for publicly communicating the climate risk of soil degradation are discussed.

New in The GJ:

'(Not) covering climate risks: A multimodal news framing analysis of soil health reporting in the UK press' by @antalwozniak.bsky.social & @jillhopke.bsky.social

This paper explores the lack of reporting on soil health in the UK between 2022-2024.

doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

4 months ago 5 4 0 2