MACKINDER AND THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF GEOGRAPHY IN GREAT BRITAIN

Abstract

According to the thesis of professionalization of scientists, during the 19th century a welldefined social group of professional scientists emerged. That article tries out the professionalization thesis through a precise experience, that of Halford John Mackinder (1861-1947), British geographer, often considered founder of the modern discipline in his country. Mackinder's life and career proved to be congruent with the professionalization thesis, and in particular with the scheme devised by G.H. Daniels which divides the process in four moment: preemption, institutionalization, legitimation and autonomy. In fact, H.J. Mackinder contributed to define Geography's content and boundaries (particularly respect to Geology and History), to establish the first geographical Readership and the first geographical Universitary School in England, to find its benefit for the society, and then tried to sustain himself by the profession of Geographer.