Citation

Taaffe EJ, Gauthier HL. J. Transp. Geogr. 1994; 2(3): 155-168.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0966-6923(94)90001-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The development of transportation geography is considered in the context of three geographic traditions: ecology, area study and spatial organization. Beginning in the mid-1950s, there was an increase in spatial, quantitative and theoretical work. During the 1970s, a critique of this positivistic approach emerged. Since 1970, there has been a growth of pluralism with a complex intertwining of philosophical and definitional paradigms that have had an important impact on transportation studies. It is hoped that future emphasis will be on the specific-theory level of a paradigm, particularly the link between theory and empiricism as exemplified by: verification studies; GIS; mode l-context analysis; policy analysis; and regional studies.