None of us sets out to hurt people: the ethical geographer and geography curricula in higher education

William E. Boyd, Southern Cross University
Ruth L. Healey
Susan W. Hardwick
Martin Haigh
Phil Klein
Bruce Doran
Julie Trafford
John Bradbeer

Abstract

This paper examines ethics in learning and teaching geography in higher education. It proposes a pathway towards curriculum and pedagogy that better incorporates ethics in university geography education. By focusing on the central but problematic relationships between (i) teaching and learning on the one hand and research on the other, and (ii) ethics and geography curricula, the authors' reflections illustrate how ethics may be better recognized within those curricula. They discuss issues affecting teaching and learning about ethics in geography, and through identification of a range of examples identify ways to enhance the integration of ethical issues into university geography curricula.