The article attempts to oiler a retrospective examination of the major trends of spatial studies in Greece during the period 1974-2000. The introduction describes the general context of spatial thinking from the crisis and restructuring of the 70s to the current focus on globalization and innovation trends, Within this context the article examines the Greek scene and identifies the major influences and the interaction with the international scientific debate on spatial organization, spatial planning and spatial development. Four strands of spatial studies are discerned in terms of theoretical orientation and content without further evaluation: economic/developmental, sociological/geo¬graphical, institutional/political, and cultural/environmental. On the basis of this, distinction follows an attempt for the categorization of the 81 articles published in the journal TOPOS during the 1990s.The continuous dominance of the economic/developmental approach and the gradual strengthening of the cultural/environmental strand are documented. Finally, the article sets the four axes critical attitude, scientific standards, interdisciplinary approach and innovative content, for the future development of scientific production through the journal TOPOS.
