Routledge The Random Spatial Economy and its Evolution (Routledge Revivals)

First published in 1998, this volume, spanning a lifetime's research, is a highly innovative first attempt at a consistent theoretical approach to the elements, structures and dynamics of the geography of agents, settlements and trade. Cause and effect are replaced by chance within constraints. Populations are substituted for unreal representative individuals, variability for uniformity, probabilistic process for unique history. Ignorance is a major factor in interpersonal and inter-areal commercial relations so that the focus is on flows of information and their effects on the efficiency of the economy or, alternatively, on changes in its information content. Recent work on spatial arrangements in many physical and social sciences is incorporated but always interpreted from an overriding geographical viewpoint. Key concepts are locational potential, distance friction, mobility, diffusion, spatial pattern and texture, adaptability, efficiency, spatial interaction and dependence. Analytic methods include autocovariance and transfer functions, areal special densities and entropy. Various forms of self-organization of economic spatial patterns are examined. Review ’...brings together a lifetime of academic scholarship devoted to core issues in economic geography...it should be welcomed as a seminal contribution to a burgeoning field of academic inquiry...significant...’ The Geographic Journal '...this volume is full of great ideas and belongs on the shelves of all researchers in spatial analysis and economic geography.' Association of American Geographers 'This is an amazing body of work - grand theorizing that is unique in geography. Curry is clearly a deep thinker with a span of knowledge and insight that is astounding. Geography is much richer for his presence and dedication to our discipline.' Economic Geography About the Author Leslie Curry