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It is difficult, if not impossible, to establish the point of time at which a new field of study starts to emerge. While the date of formal organization of a society asso ciated with the field can be precisely stated, such timing says little about when and where the seeds for a field's development were planted. Also, such timing says little about the essential "why" for the development of a field and provides little understanding of the path that it traced. It is clear that the emergence of the field of regional science, like many other fields, was dependent on a particular setting as well as the pattern of events and interaction of diverse personalities who became involved. As best I can, I shall attempt in this Part I of the History to unravel the where, when and why questions in the development of Regional Science and the Regional Science Association International. Further, in the last section of this essay, I shall briefly point up some potentialities for analytical advances in the field of regional science. Also, I shall note the opportunity for leadership by regional scientists in attacking global and regional development problems, thereby to help formulate relevant policy. In this way, I hope to expose the potential for fruitful research by young scholars interested in entering the field.
List of contents
1 The Setting and Initial Events.- 2 The Emergence and Struggling Years of Regional Science.- 2.1 Early Developments and Significant Recognition of Location Theory.- 2.2 Growth of Interest in Regional Problems, Informal Meetings of Regional Researchers and Promotion Efforts.- 2.3 Era of Conceptual Thinking and Model Development with Multidisciplinary Explorations.- 3 The Evolution of the Designations: Regional Science, Regional Science Association and the Field of Regional Science.- 4 The Formation of the Regional Science Association.- 5 The Rooting and Emergence of Regional Science as a Major Field of Study.- 6 The Invasion of and Extensive Expansion in Europe Concomitant with the Formation of Sections.- 7 The Spread of Regional Science into Japan, India, andLatin America.- 8 My Current Thinking on the Scope and Nature of Regional Science and Opportunities for Its Advance in Basic Research and Policy Analyses.- Appendix A: Memorandum on a Census Monograph on the Location of Economic Activity and Its Relation to Population.- Appendix B: Request for Support of a Project in the Field of Regional Economic Studies.- Appendix C: Regionalism and American Economic History. Lee Benson (12/9/51).- Appendix D: Conference of the Regional Science Association 4-7 September 1961, Institute of Social Studies, Molenstraat 27, The Hague, Netherlands.- Appendix E: Annual Programs in the United States, 1958-1967 (EXCEPT 1963).- Appendix F: Regional Science Association Council Members.- Reference.
Summary
A well-written and exciting historical account of the way in which a new unique social science field of study, Regional Science, and the formation of the society associated with the field, Regional Science Association International, developed. The text has been written by the founder of the Regional Science Association and current President of the North American Regional Science Council. It is of interest to regional scientists, economists, sociologists, urban- and regional planners, geographers, and transportation researchers.
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From the reviews:
"This book is a fascinating read for anyone who has had any involvement in the events and activities of the Regional Science Association ... . written from the perspective of the figure who is widely acknowledged to be the father of that field. ... This book helps participants to understand better the origins and early inspiration for his evangelical role and how he came to give early momentum to the multidisciplinary movement ... ." (Peter J B Brown, Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, Vol. 31, 2004)
