ABSTRACT
Humanistic geography is often criticized for its weak methodology. I shall argue that pragmatism, a neglected humanistic philosophy, can provide a sound epistemological framework in which to organize and strengthen this methodology. Pragmatism influenced Robert Park, an important figure in the history of urban social geography, whose tentative methodological beginnings can be traced to their more logical exposition in British social anthropology. The development of pragmatic method also proves significant for four related concerns central to human geography. They are the structure-agency debate and the notion of structuration, the ethics of inquiry, the relationship between experience and action, and the tenuous link between intellect and the world of common sense.
