Contemplating Fantastic Frontiers: Cole Harris on History, Geography, Canada, and the Good Life.

This article examines the scholarly contributions and intellectual legacy of historical geographer Richard Colebrook Harris, focusing on his extensive work on Canadian geography, colonialism, and social theory. Harris’ career centered on three intertwined themes: the role of history in geography, the complex and fractured nature of Canada’s settlement and development, and reflections on the “good life” as shaped by place and culture. His research challenged prevailing narratives by emphasizing Canada’s environmental limits, regional discontinuities, and pragmatic, inductive nation-building, while also addressing Indigenous dispossession, cultural difference, and the exercise of power in colonial contexts. The article situates Harris’ evolving ideas within their historical and disciplinary contexts, noting both their influence and the critiques they have attracted, and highlights his role as a citizen scholar committed to using historical geography to deepen understanding of Canada’s past and present.