1 defining geography

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Geog 1 Introduction

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Outline

I. Defining Geography

II. Fundamental Concepts in/of Geography

III. Traditions in Geography

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Geography, Geographer, Geographic, Geographical :

What’s in a Name?

Geography – refers to the academic discipline and its subjectmatter, some of which is shared with other natural and socialscience discipline.

Geographer – refers to practitioners of geography who haveacquired expertise in the discipline’s knowledge, perspectives andtechniques, either through academic training or other professionalexperience.

Geographic – differentiates the subject matter of geography fromthe academic discipline.

Geographical

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What is Geography?

Geography has been variously defined as the

study of the earth as the home of humanbeings, the study of human-environmentinteraction, and the study of spatial processesand regional development (Mabogunje, 1996).

traditions of/in geography

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Hartshor ne (1959: 21):

Geography is concerned with the accurate, orderly andrational description and interpretation of the variablecharacters of the Earth’s surface.

Dunford (1981: 85):

Geography is the study of spatial forms and structuresproduced historically and specified by modes of production.

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Yeates (1968:1):

Geography can be regarded as a science concerned withthe rational development, and testing, of theories thatexplain and predict the spatial distribution andlocation of various characteristics on the surface of theearth.

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Hagget t (1981: 133):

[Geography is] the study of the Earth’s surface as the space within whichthe human population lives.

Haggett (1990):

Geographers are concerned with three kinds of analysis:

Spatial (location): numbers, characteristics, activities and distributions.

Ecological: the relationship between humans and environment.

Regional: the combination of the f irst two themes in areal differentiation.

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Divisions

Physical Geog/Human Geog

Regional Geog/Topical Geog

Theoretical Geog/Applied Geog

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Physical/Human Geography

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Regional/Topical Geography

Regional or special geography

An inventory analysis of any individual place

Is concerned with the ways thatunique combinations of environmental and humanfactors produce territories withdistinctive landscapes and

cultural attributes

Topical or systematic (general)

geography

Discussion of universal laws

and principles that apply to allplaces

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Regional/Topical GeographyCategories in describing a place:

Description of local physical environment (climate, topography,soils, and other physical attributes);

the stature of the residents;

employment; virtues, vices, learning, and wit;

customs;

speech and language;

political government;

religion and church government;

cities and renowned places;

history;

famous people and inventors

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Theoretical/Applied Geog

Geog 119 (Geog of Movement)Geog 183(Transportation Geog)

Geog 209 (Spatial Analysis) Geog 241/242 (AppliedGeog I/II)

Geog 101 (Climatology)Geog 212 (AppliedClimatology)

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In some rather deep sense, we are all geographers,

historians and philosophers (Gould, 1996).

Where is it? The first question establishes the location of thesubject under investigation.

Once a place is “located” in the geographer’s sense of the word,the next question is why is it here/there?

The element of time is another extremely important ingredientin the geographical mix.

Geography is truly an integrating discipline. The geographerassembles evidence from many sources in order to explain aparticular pattern or ongoing processes of change

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Geography’s Fundamental Concepts:

SPACE

PLACE

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Geography’s Fundamental Concepts:

Location

Distance

Scale

Direction

Accessibility

Spatial Interaction

Spatial Diffusion

Distribution

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Geography’s Fundamental Concepts: Location– can be nominal, absolute or relative.

Distance– can be an absolute physical measure, using units such as kilometers ormiles, or they can be relative expressed in terms of time, effort or cost.

Scale– refers to level of analysis

Direction– refers to the angular orientation of a thing, a person or an object

Accessibility – the opportunity for contact or for interaction from a given point of location

Spatial Interaction – all kinds of movement and flows that involve human activity

Spatial Diffusion

Distribution- pertains to how things are located and situated in space(patterns and density)

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Traditions in Geography1. Spatial Tradition – geometry and movement

2. Area Studies Tradition – “regional geography”

3. Man-Land/Human-Environment Tradition –environment and society interaction Environmental determinism vs Possibilism

4. Earth Sciences Tradition – physical geography

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