A new geography journal launched by the University of Neuchâtel

The first issues of “Géo-Regards: revue neuchâteloise de géographie” have now been published. Created by the fusion of two long-standing and successful journals, Géo-Regards will cover the geographical aspects of current news topics. The first issue looks at urban centres, offering an overview of unpublished research results on densification and urban renewal, which are often considered as alternatives to the problem of urban sprawl.

In 1886, the Neuchâtel Society of Geography published the first issue of Bulletin, a journal which enjoyed great success over the years. With the approach of the 125th anniversary of Bulletin, the Society decided to join with the IGG, fusing the journal with Géo-Regards: cahiers de l'Institut de géographie in order to create a new journal, Géo-Regards: revue neuchâteloise de géographie.

Placed together, the terms ‘géo’ and ‘regards’ (points of view) represent the editorial aims of the journal: ‘géo’ refers to the aim to better understand the relationships underpinning societies and spaces, whilst ‘regards’, in the plural, indicates multiple points of view and thus the desire to open up the journal to other disciplines. Furthermore, ‘neuchâteloise’ in the subtitle (“Revue neuchâteloise de géographie”) demonstrates the concern to produce a locally based journal, yet without excluding other parts of the world. The journal also places emphasis on the circulation of knowledge, people and goods, in line with the scientific orientations of both the IGG and the Association for the Analysis of Social Processes (MAPS), of which the IGG is a member.
The journal’s change of name represents a decision to professionalize the production and diffusion of the journal, in both printed and electronic form. Publication is now achieved through the publishing house ‘Alphil’ (www.alphilrevues.ch), which is based in Neuchâtel and, although relatively young, has already produced a large number of books and journals. As well as being indexed in scientific databases, Géo-Regards: revue neuchâteloise de géographie has broad international circulation. It has also recently renewed its editing committee, which now uses the peer-reviewing model (where a scientific committee anonymously evaluates all articles). Thus the journal is now ready to increase its readership and, to quote the stated objectives of the Neuchâtel Society of Geography in 1886, “to develop, to expand and to prosper”.

Previous publications
The Institute of Geography had a part in the writing and/or editing of the following two periodicals (now available only on demand):
• Géo-Regards, publishing research conducted by the Institute;
• and Bulletin, the former journal of the Neuchâtel Society of Geography (SNG).