Oskar Spate
Encyclopedia
Oskar Hermann Khristian Spate (London
, England
1911 - Canberra
, Australia
2000) was a geographer best known for his role in strengthening geography
as a discipline in Australia
and the Pacific.
Spate was born to a German father and English mother in the Bloomsbury district of England. During the First World War
his father was interned as a German national and Spate fled to Iowa
in the United States
. He returned to England in 1919, where he developed an early interest in geography and history. He went on to study at Cambridge University
in the 1930s. It was during this period that many of Spate's characteristic personality traits revealed themselves: he studied both English as well as Geography, thus cementing a deeply humanistic tendency that would become obvious in his future thinking. His irreverence and sense of humor was also manifest as well -- he joined a Communist cell but was thrown out for his frivolity. He was later to claim that he could be 'solemn but not serious'. His doctoral dissertation was on the historical geography of London from 1801 to 1851.
Spate's dissertation was admired, but his strong political beliefs made an academic career in England unlikely. After a year as a tutor in Reading he took up a position at the University of Rangoon in Myanmar
(then Burma) in 1937. There was became interested in the colonial struggle for independence, and produced a steady stream of high-quality work on the geography of Myanmar. When World War II
broke out Spate joined he army as a volunteer and was seriously injured in the first Japanese raid on the Rangoon airport. He was evacuated to India
where recuperated, wrote poetry, and served in the unusual capacity of a military censor. In 1944 he moved to the Inter-Service Topographical Department in New Delhi
(and later Kandy
, Sri Lanka
) where he was a major in charge of the section of the office dealing with Burma.
In 1947 Spate returned to England, where he served briefly as a lecturer at the Bedford College for Women, which was part of the University of London
before taking up a permanent position at the London School of Economics
. Spate appeared to have achieved a comfortable and prestigious academic position as a specialist in South Asian geography -- it was during this time he was involved in the creation of the book The Changing Face of Asia and served on the Punjab Boundary Commission that was involved in the partition of Pakistan
from India
. However, Spate left England in 1951 to become the Foundation Professor of Geography at the newly-established Australian National University
. Spate was given carte blanche to organize the department and train students, and ended up having a large impact on geography as a discipline in Australia. In 1954 his work India and Pakistan: A General and Regional Geography was released to wide acclaim as one of the most magisterial and complete geographies of the country. Firmly established as an expert in South Asia, Spate turned his attention to Australia and the Pacific more broadly.
In 1953 Spate became an advisor to the Australian Minister for Territories, for whom he produced important papers on the economy and demography of Papua New Guinea
and Fiji
. His 1959 report on The Fijian People was particularly notable, because it become the document that guided how colonial administers handled the process of Fiji's independence. In 1969 he served on the commission that recommended the creation of the University of Papua New Guinea
. By the 1960s, the discipline of geography was growing more quantitative. Spate's more humanistic tendencies made him uncomfortable with these trends and in 1967 he became the director of the Australian National University's Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
(RSPAS), a more administrative position which allowed him to avoid entanglement in disciplinary debates. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1972, when he took up a position in the Department of Pacific History. He retired in 1976 and began writing his master work, a monumental three volume history of the Pacific, The Pacific Since Magellan. He died in 2000 at the age of 89.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
1911 - Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
2000) was a geographer best known for his role in strengthening geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
as a discipline in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Pacific.
Spate was born to a German father and English mother in the Bloomsbury district of England. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
his father was interned as a German national and Spate fled to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He returned to England in 1919, where he developed an early interest in geography and history. He went on to study at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the 1930s. It was during this period that many of Spate's characteristic personality traits revealed themselves: he studied both English as well as Geography, thus cementing a deeply humanistic tendency that would become obvious in his future thinking. His irreverence and sense of humor was also manifest as well -- he joined a Communist cell but was thrown out for his frivolity. He was later to claim that he could be 'solemn but not serious'. His doctoral dissertation was on the historical geography of London from 1801 to 1851.
Spate's dissertation was admired, but his strong political beliefs made an academic career in England unlikely. After a year as a tutor in Reading he took up a position at the University of Rangoon in Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
(then Burma) in 1937. There was became interested in the colonial struggle for independence, and produced a steady stream of high-quality work on the geography of Myanmar. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out Spate joined he army as a volunteer and was seriously injured in the first Japanese raid on the Rangoon airport. He was evacuated to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where recuperated, wrote poetry, and served in the unusual capacity of a military censor. In 1944 he moved to the Inter-Service Topographical Department in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
(and later Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
) where he was a major in charge of the section of the office dealing with Burma.
In 1947 Spate returned to England, where he served briefly as a lecturer at the Bedford College for Women, which was part of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
before taking up a permanent position at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. Spate appeared to have achieved a comfortable and prestigious academic position as a specialist in South Asian geography -- it was during this time he was involved in the creation of the book The Changing Face of Asia and served on the Punjab Boundary Commission that was involved in the partition of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. However, Spate left England in 1951 to become the Foundation Professor of Geography at the newly-established Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
. Spate was given carte blanche to organize the department and train students, and ended up having a large impact on geography as a discipline in Australia. In 1954 his work India and Pakistan: A General and Regional Geography was released to wide acclaim as one of the most magisterial and complete geographies of the country. Firmly established as an expert in South Asia, Spate turned his attention to Australia and the Pacific more broadly.
In 1953 Spate became an advisor to the Australian Minister for Territories, for whom he produced important papers on the economy and demography of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. His 1959 report on The Fijian People was particularly notable, because it become the document that guided how colonial administers handled the process of Fiji's independence. In 1969 he served on the commission that recommended the creation of the University of Papua New Guinea
University of Papua New Guinea
The University of Papua New Guinea was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired into higher education in Papua New Guinea...
. By the 1960s, the discipline of geography was growing more quantitative. Spate's more humanistic tendencies made him uncomfortable with these trends and in 1967 he became the director of the Australian National University's Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
The Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies was founded in 1946 as an institute of advanced study at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.-History:...
(RSPAS), a more administrative position which allowed him to avoid entanglement in disciplinary debates. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1972, when he took up a position in the Department of Pacific History. He retired in 1976 and began writing his master work, a monumental three volume history of the Pacific, The Pacific Since Magellan. He died in 2000 at the age of 89.
Sources and Further Reading
- Oskar H. K. Spate (obituary) by David Hooson, Geographical Review, Oct2000, Vol. 90, Issue 4.
- Oskar Spate: a personal impression by T.M. Perry. In Jennings, J.N. and Linge, G.J.R., Of Time and Place: essays in honour of OHK Spate, Canberra, 1980, pp. xiii-xix.
- Oskar Hermann Khristian Spate, 1911-2000 (obituary) by Peter J Rimmer. In Annual Report of the Australian Academy of the Social Sciences 2000, pp. 82-85.
- Finding Guide to the Papers of O.H.K Spate (deposited at the National Library of Australia)