Geography and Genealogy (Heritage, Culture and Identity)

Geographers have much to contribute to the serious study of the family history phenomenon. Land records, maps and even GIS are increasingly used by genealogical investigators. As a cultural practice, it encompasses peoples' emotional attachments to ancestral places and is widely manifest on the ground as personal heritage travel. Family history research also has significant potential to challenge accepted geographical views of migration, ethnicity, socio-economic class and place-based identities.This book is divided into two main sections. The first highlights tools and information sources used by geographers and their applications to family history research. The second section examines family history as a socio-cultural practice, including the activities of tourism, archival research, and DNA testing. This unique book is the first ever to address the geographical and more general scholarly aspects of this increasingly popular social phenomenon.