2017 and 2018 winning entries of the CGSG Photo Competition

Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Cultural Geography Specialty Group website! On behalf of the CGSG board, I invite you to keep in touch and get involved in our lively collective of cultural geographers. 

In tumultuous times, it is more important than ever to have robust and supportive learning communities. During my time on the CGSG board, I have been inspired by the resilience and passion of our members amid the dizzying onslaught of challenges we have faced over the last few years. With this website, we hope to further strengthen our community by highlighting our members’ accomplishments and providing updates about events and initiative

I look forward to the year ahead and getting to know more of our marvelous members! Feel free to reach out any time. If you would like to chat with us (the board) and other members of CGSG, we invite you to join our organization’s Discord server! 

As the board of CGSG, our job is to support our members in their work and help connect people with cultural geography. Here are some of our objectives for this year:

  • Facilitate new, creative, artistic, and multimedia explorations of geography (check out our photo competition winners!).
  • Create opportunities for folks—both in and out of academia—to participate in conversations, events, and initiatives that advance the study of cultural geography.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with partner organizations within the field of geography and beyond.
  • Participate actively in events and projects locally and globally to promote CGSG.
  • Promote an open and welcoming environment in which all members feel empowered to contribute their unique perspectives to our collective work. 
  • And most importantly…Have fun!

– Emma Walcott-Wilson, Interim Chair (2022-2023)
Cultural Geography Specialty Group

Mission

The Cultural Geography Specialty Group (CGSG) seeks to promote and encourage scholarly research and superior teaching in the field of Cultural Geography through the exchange of current thought, trends, and information focusing on all areas of the field. The CGSG shall encourage, facilitate and sponsor the organization of paper sessions and discussion panels at national and regional meetings of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) as well as other seminars, symposiums, and conferences at which themes relating to Cultural Geography are discussed. The CGSG will also reward junior scholars by hosting paper competitions and awarding research grants. The CGSG will stimulate dialog and represent members in all matters related to membership in the national association (AAG).

Current Executive Board

Interim Chair 
(2022-2023)
Emma Walcott-Wilson
The University of Central Oklahoma		Interim Secretary/Treasurer 
(2022-2023)
Ola Johansson
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown		Nominations Director 
(2022-2024)
Mark Rhodes
Michigan Technological University
Awards Director 
(2021-2023)
Christabel Devadoss
Middle Tennessee State University		Program Director 
(2022-2024)
Josh Merced
University of North Carolina at Greensboro		Past CGSG Chair 
(Ex-Officio)
Matt Cook
Eastern Michigan University
Graduate Student Representative 
(2022-2024)
Katrina Finkelstein
University of Tennessee, Knoxville		Graduate Student Representative 
(2022-2024)
Adam Regula
Kent State University		Graduate Student Representative 
(2022-2023)
Katrina Ward
Oklahoma State University