
Driving Spaces
A Cultural-Historical Geography of England's M1 Motorway
Peter Merriman(Author)
Wiley (Publisher)
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 8. October 2007
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-1-4051-3073-8 (ISBN)
Description
Peter Merriman traces the social and cultural histories and geographies of driving spaces through an examination of the design, construction and use of England's M1 motorway in the 1950s and 1960s.
A first-of-its-kind academic study examining the production and consumption of the landscapes and spaces of a British motorway
An interdisciplinary approach, engaging with theoretical and empirical work from sociology, history, cultural studies, anthropology and geography
Contains 38 high quality illustrations
Based on extensive, original archive work
A first-of-its-kind academic study examining the production and consumption of the landscapes and spaces of a British motorway
An interdisciplinary approach, engaging with theoretical and empirical work from sociology, history, cultural studies, anthropology and geography
Contains 38 high quality illustrations
Based on extensive, original archive work
Reviews / Votes
"While I wish that he had synthesized his research in a strong conclusion, this criticism should not diminish the merits of the book. The empirical results and the study's framework deserve a firm place in the history of technology." (Technology & Culture, 1 January 2011)"Merriman's systematic, detailed and precisely documented description of the cultural context of the M1 will itself stand as a valuable documentary resource for researchers and students alike" (Area, December 2008)
"Thoroughly researched and full of rich ... Driving Spaces presents the historical trajectory of the M1 Motorway through a series of cultural and political stages." (Journal of British Studies, October 2008)
"Merriman provides a fascinating perspective on the social and cultural aspects of driving and highways ... in this multidisciplinary study. Includes ... numerous references ... .Recommended." (Choice)
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Paper over boards
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 164 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
590 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4051-3073-8 (9781405130738)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
07/2011
Wiley-Blackwell
€25.99
Available for download

E-Book
09/2008
Wiley-Blackwell
€25.99
Available for download

Book
09/2007
1st Edition
Wiley
€44.00
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Peter Merriman is a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. His research focuses on mobility and social theory, spaces of driving, and cultures of landscapes in twentieth century Britain. His work has been published in a range of edited collections and international journals, including Journal of Historical Geography, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Cultural Geographies and Theory, Culture and Society.
Content
List of Figures. Series Editors' Preface.
Acknowledgements.
1 Introduction: Driving Spaces.
Mobilities.
Driving, Space, Social Relations.
Driving, Landscape, Visuality.
Geographies of the Modern Road.
Contents of the Book.
2 Envisioning British Motorways.
Motoring and the Motor-Car Way, 1896-1930.
The German Autobahnen: The Politics and Aesthetics of a Nation's Roads.
Motorways for Britain? National Plans, National Defence.
Motorways, War and Reconstruction.
Motorways and the British Landscape.
3 Designing and Landscaping the M1.
Legislating and Campaigning: Towards a National Motorway Network.
Locating the M1: Regional Planning, Local Protests and the Authority of the Engineer.
Landscape Architecture and the Post-war, Modern Road.
'A New Look at the English Landscape': Landscape Architecture, Movement and the Aesthetics of a Modern Motorway.
Towards a Road Style: Service Areas in the Landscape.
'Cutting Holes in the Landscape': Britain's Motorway Signs.
4 Constructing the M1.
'Operation Motorway': Constructing the M1 Motorway.
Song of a Road: Folk Song, Working-Class Culture and the Labour of a Motorway.
5 Driving, Consuming and Governing the M1.
Motorway Driving, Embodiment, Competence.
'Motorway Madness': Driving, Governing, Expertise.
Motorway Modern: Consuming the M1.
Motorway Service Areas and the Motorist-Consumer.
Assessing the M1's Performance: Cost-Benefi t Analysis, Scientifi c Experiments, Accidents.
6 Motorways and Driving since the 1960s.
The 'M1 Corridor'.
Motorways and 'the Environment'.
Dystopian and Marginal Landscapes?
Placeless Environments?
Placing the M1 in the Late Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries.
Appendix: Archival Sources.
Notes.
References.
Index.
Acknowledgements.
1 Introduction: Driving Spaces.
Mobilities.
Driving, Space, Social Relations.
Driving, Landscape, Visuality.
Geographies of the Modern Road.
Contents of the Book.
2 Envisioning British Motorways.
Motoring and the Motor-Car Way, 1896-1930.
The German Autobahnen: The Politics and Aesthetics of a Nation's Roads.
Motorways for Britain? National Plans, National Defence.
Motorways, War and Reconstruction.
Motorways and the British Landscape.
3 Designing and Landscaping the M1.
Legislating and Campaigning: Towards a National Motorway Network.
Locating the M1: Regional Planning, Local Protests and the Authority of the Engineer.
Landscape Architecture and the Post-war, Modern Road.
'A New Look at the English Landscape': Landscape Architecture, Movement and the Aesthetics of a Modern Motorway.
Towards a Road Style: Service Areas in the Landscape.
'Cutting Holes in the Landscape': Britain's Motorway Signs.
4 Constructing the M1.
'Operation Motorway': Constructing the M1 Motorway.
Song of a Road: Folk Song, Working-Class Culture and the Labour of a Motorway.
5 Driving, Consuming and Governing the M1.
Motorway Driving, Embodiment, Competence.
'Motorway Madness': Driving, Governing, Expertise.
Motorway Modern: Consuming the M1.
Motorway Service Areas and the Motorist-Consumer.
Assessing the M1's Performance: Cost-Benefi t Analysis, Scientifi c Experiments, Accidents.
6 Motorways and Driving since the 1960s.
The 'M1 Corridor'.
Motorways and 'the Environment'.
Dystopian and Marginal Landscapes?
Placeless Environments?
Placing the M1 in the Late Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries.
Appendix: Archival Sources.
Notes.
References.
Index.