Book excerpt: Published in 1999, this book discusses the role that marginality has had in the past, has today and will have in the future. The Commission on Dynamics of Marginal and Critical Regions held its annual conference in Harare, Zimbabwe in July 1997. This volume represents a carefully selected, revised and reviewed selection of the papers presented at this conference. The articles reflect the various aspects of marginality currently existing in the world and it is the intention of the Commission to pursue research that would eventually result in a more coherent approach towards the issues of marginality in space. The articles in the book are grouped into three main parts. The first part discusses the role of theory and also methodological aspects and approaches towards the question of marginality. The second part gives a 'time-space' perspective by examining the past, present and future aspects of marginality. The third part is dedicated to empirical evidence about the changes in existing marginality and its possible future implementations. The conclusions of the book summarize the various and sometimes conflicting, aspects of marginality and its ’images’ both in space and in time.