Which Direction for Cultural Geography? A Postgraduate Perspective

As Chris Gibson observes, the aim of this discussion about 'which direction for cultural geography?' is to evaluate 'how we might best "grow" cultural geography into the future?' Influenced by Noel Castree's (1999, 91) call for ' "in here" geographical activism, that is, the critical reflection of our positioning within academic processes, this piece adds to the debate in this forum from a postgraduate geography student perspective. Reflecting on recent policy changes in Australian higher education and looking specifically at the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Research Networks Program, I argue that these broad changes have particular implications for the ongoing viability and identity of geography, especially for how this identity is developed amongst postgraduate geography students as they move from the short apprenticeship stage of the PhD onto various academic career paths.