thinking about human geography? what this course is about
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Thinking about Human Geography?
What this course is about.
What is Human Geography?
Nothing to do with anatomy… no pictures of naked people (or at least not many).
Human Geography has to do with the effects of the interactions of human beings and their physical environment.
It is a very multidisciplinary discipline. It touches on economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, and a few more “-logys.”
What does this course cover?
The course is divided into 8 units: Thinking Geographically – Basic Concepts Population (migration) Agriculture Land Use Industry (services) Political Geography Culture (language ,
religion, ethnicity) Urbanization
Thinking Geographically
A brief history of geography as a discipline.
An introduction to the basic concepts of human geography.
A little bit on the contemporary tools used in geography.
5 Themes of Geography-Location Location – Where are
We? Def.-The position of
anything on the Earth’s surface.
-Two Ways to Give Location:
A. Absolute Location – Latitude and Longitude.
B. Relative Location – In relation to other places. (2 blocks east of the House of Donuts)
5 Themes of Geography-Place Place – What is this
place like? Def.-a specific point
on Earth distinguished by a particular place. The personality of
the place. A description of
what it is like.
5 Themes of Geography-Movement Movement – How has
the place been affected by the movement of people, goods, and ideas?
Def.-People, goods, and ideas move continuously. All places interact.
Some are more remote than others.
Transportation routes are crucial.
5 Themes of Geography-Human-Environment Interaction Human Environment
Interaction – How have humans modified the land with their interaction with it?
Def.-People are constantly interacting with their surroundings. Physical changes to meet
the needs of humans. Changes to allow us to
adapt to the environment.
5 Themes of Geography-Region Region – How is
this place similar or different from other places?
Def.-an area defined by common characteristics. (can be more than one) Use any
characteristic that you want.
It unifies areas.
Population
The distribution and growth of human populations Demographic Transition Model (very useful) Population Pyramids Malthus, his opponents, and Neo-Malthusianism
Migration
Reasons and Patterns Characteristics of migrants Obstacles faced by migrants Push and Pull factors
Agriculture
Origins (you’d be surprised!) Agricultural hearths and agricultural
regions Subsistence and commercial
agriculture Economic factors affecting agriculture
Land Use
Where are resources located in the U.S. and around the world?
Why are resources being depleted? Pollution, reusable resources, alternative
energies, & conservation
Industry
The industrial revolution and its diffusion
Industrial hearths in MDCs and LDCs
Situation and Site factors (optimal location of industries)
Problems faced by industry at the local and global levels
Development
Varying development patterns
Development indicators Gender inequalities Obstacles to development Development financing
Political Geography
Location Boundaries, borders, and
frontiers Shapes of countries Nation States Cooperation among states Terrorism
Culture
Folk and Popular culture Clustering of folk culture The intrusion of popular culture The homogenizing effects of popular culture
Language
Origins of language Language families Lingua franca
Religion
Origin and distribution of religions Diffusion of religions Holy places Religious organization of space Conflict between religions
Ethnicity
Distribution of ethnicities Transformation of ethnicities into nationalities Clash between ethnicities Segregation and alienation Ethnic cleansing
Urban Patterns
Urbanization Urban structure
models Concentric Zone
model Sector model Multiple nuclei model
Inner city problems Suburban problems
Services
Origin of services Distribution patterns (Central
Place Theory, Market Analysis) World cities (there are only
three, and Managua is not one of them!)
Hierarchy of business services Central Business Districts and
suburbanization of businesses
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