De la synthèse géographique à l'approche territoriale : l’évolution des définitions de la géographie dans les manuels québécois contemporains (1957–2005)

Abstract

This paper aims to study the contemporary geography textbooks produced in Quebec in their internal configurations. Studied from a diachronic perspective, that is, from 1957 – the moment of their modernization – to 2005 – the last major curricular reform in Quebec –, these "configurations" refer to disciplinary definitions, either implicit or explicit. Consequently, our approach recognizes textbooks as a format for disciplinary knowledge. To carry out the analysis, we focus on the textbooks’ explicit content, but also, in some cases, on its subtexts. The results highlight the importance of a three-stage history, namely that of 1) a "still" classical geography (1957-1980), 2) a geography that integrates a so-called experimental method (1980-2005) and 3) a formalized approach centered on territorial issues (since 2005).