Introduction: history and the uses of space

Paul Stock’s essay argues that space has long been an important part of disciplined historical study. There are important connections between the so-called “spatial turn” and the “cultural turn,” but the two are not identical, something which must be emphasized if the importance of spatial history is to be fully exploited. The study of space can help historians develop new perspectives on certain critical issues, most notably questions about agency and causation, and the relationship between material and intellectual life. The essay ends by introducing the articles which comprise this volume, showing how together and individually they represent an approach to space which encompasses both the material and the representational.