Human geography and its relationship to GIS: a perspective from the vantage point of GIS

Concern abounds over what is a never ending sequence of paradigm shifts within human geography. One result is the marginalisation of previous work. Considerable concern has been expressed among those working with geographical information systems (GIS) over the relationship of this area of work to human geography. Behind much of this turmoil is the ascendancy of post‐modernism, an approach with which many human geographers are unable to actively engage in debate. At a time when the other social sciences are incorporating space into their research, human geography and GIS are parting company with the two facing very different futures.