Geography102

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Geography102
Ptolemys First World Map, c. AD 150
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What is Geography?
Geography is a representation of the whole known
world together with the phenomena which are
contained therein. Ptolemy, Geographia 2nd
Century A.D. Geography is the science of
place. Its vision is grand, its view panoramic.
It sweeps the surface of the Earth, charting the
physical, organic and cultural terrain, their
areal differentiation, and their ecological
dynamics with humankind. Its foremost tool is the
map. Leonard Krishtalka, Carnegie Museum of
Natural History, 20th Century A.D.
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What is Geography?
Geography is the study of what is where and why
its there. Mike Reed
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Okay, but what exactly is it? Well, its a way of
thinking about intellectual problems, both
natural and societal, which emphasizes the
importance of spatial relationships.. Take any
social, environmental, or physical question or
problem and ask yourself whether there is a
spatial aspect to it. Chances are that space and
place play a role in the explanation and
distribution of that question. Mike Reed,
Making It Up As I Go For example Why are so
many plant and animal species becoming extinct at
the end of the twentieth century? Why do there
always seem to be been so many wars in
Africa? Why is corn such an important part of a
traditional Mexican diet? Why are some beers
known as India Pale Ales?
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Divisions of Geography

• Physical Geography
  Human Geography
• Rocks and Minerals
  Population
• Landforms
  Settlements
• Soils
  Economic Activities
• Animals
  Transportation
• Plants
  Recreational Activities
• Water
  Religion
• Atmosphere
  Political Systems
• Rivers and Other Water Bodies
  Social Traditions
• Environment
  Human Migration
• Climate and Weather
  Agricultural Systems
• Geography is a bridge between the natural and
  social sciences. Geography is a holistic or
  synthesizing science.

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The Five Themes of Geography
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The Geography of Breakfasta geographic thinking
demonstration

Take a minute to write down everything ate for
breakfast or lunch today.
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COFFEE
? Top Ten Coffee Growing Countries
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CHOCOLATE
Chocolate was discovered for Europe by
Christopher Columbus, but its commercial
possibilities were recognized by Hernan Cortez
who was served a drink made from cocoa beans by
Moctezuma, leader of the Aztecs (whom he later
executed). The cacao tree, like coffee, grows
only in the tropics. Today it is grown primarily
for export to the U.S. and Europe.
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Breakfast Foods
Food Place of Origin Current
Production coffee Ethiopia Tropics oranges Sout
h Asia, India US, Mediterranean pork China,
South Asia Worldwide wheat Near East US,
Russia, Argentina tea China Asia oats Near
East Temperate Climates pepper South
America Americas, Asia
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Fieldwork Geographers as Modern Explorers and
Observers
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Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 2002
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Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Idylwild, CA, 2001
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Baja, 1996
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Rocky Mountain National Park, 2003
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Taos, New Mexico, 2003
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Northern Baja Rest Stop, 1998
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National Parks ClassBig Sur, California, 2003
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Milford Sound, New Zealand 2002
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Franz Joseph Glacier, New Zealand, 2002
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Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaiian Islands, 2003
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Taos, New Mexico
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Guarding the Great Wall of China
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Antelope Canyon, Navajo Nation, 2000
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Introduction to Cultural Geography

• Definition of Cultural Geography
• History of the Discipline
• Fundamental Concepts

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What is CULTURE?
What are its elements? How is it transferred? How
has the meaning of the word changed over time?
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What is CULTURE?

• Culture is learned behavior that is passed on by
  imitation, instruction, and example.
• Culture is almost entirely relative. Proper
  behavior shifts from culture to culture.
• U.S. current problems 1) little shared
  culture2) no one is teaching culture.
• For example sex education - Home? School?
• Note experiencing another culture is useful for
  gaining perspective on your own.
• Candidate for harshest punishment in history?
  Banishment in so-called primitive cultures.

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Geographic Importance of Culture

• Geographers study culture because it leaves
  dramatic imprints on the earth, both physical and
  cultural.
• Language a crystal ball into culture.
• Religion strongest determinant of ethics.
• Nationalism and Borders
• Material Culture tools, clothes, toys, etc.
• Architecture Suburban garages vs. earlier
  porches

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Key Concepts

• REGION - an area that shares common
  characteristics
• Formal - all members legally share a
  characteristic (U.S.A.)
• Functional - defined by a node of activity and
  distance decay from center (i.e. cell phone
  coverage)
• Vernacular common perception of cultural
  identity (Deep South)

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Functional Regions
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Functional Regions
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Vernacular Regions
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• Where is AIDs?
• Where do we find hunger?
• Where are American blacks?
• Where are cows produced?

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Describing Distributions
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Describing Distributions
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Diffusion

• Relocation
• Hierarchical
• Contagious
• Stimulus

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Toblers 1st Law of Geography

• All things are related. However, all other things
  being equal, those things that are closest
  together are more related.
• Related Concepts
• Distance Decay

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Space

• Latitude and Longitude - a reference system
  designed to provide absolute location (as
  opposed to relative locations).
• Parallels of Latitude
• Meridians of Longitude
• Glendale College is located at 34 10 03 N 118 13
  41 W

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Place and Sense of Place

• Every place is unique. Imagine where you lived as
  a child. What made that special?
• Sensory
• Architecture
• Symbolic
• Humanistic Geography - values the individual
  perspective.
• Place and Placelessness (Relph, 1978)

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What kinds of cultural values are reflected in
each of these American houses?
Gated community?
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The Cultural Landscape

• The result of the natural environment and all of
  the changes to it as a result of a particular
  culture. (Carl Sauer)
• Environmental Determinism environment is primary
  determinant of culture.
• Possibilism humans are primary determinant of
  culture.

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N.Y.C. Environmentally Determined?
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What about Bali, Indonesia?
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Where are we? What values are reflected in each?
What relation to physical environment?
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Timber House, Switzerland
Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Yurt on Mongolian Steppe
Suburban Home, Chicago
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Geography and Politics

• Ties to Military
• Role in Colonization
• Role in Imperialism
• Role in Cold War

• Ethnocentrism
• Masculinism

Foreign - 4) Situated in an abnormal or improper
place. 5) Not natural alien. The American
Heritage Dictionary
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Key ConceptsCore-Periphery
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Key ConceptsCore-Periphery

• Core
• U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia
• Wealthy
• Powerful
• Controls Media and Finance
• Technologically advanced

• Periphery
• Less Developed
• Poor
• Dependent upon Core countries for
• Education
• Technology
• Media
• Military Equipment

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Globalization

• The increasing interconnectedness of different
  parts of the world through common processes of
  economic, political, and cultural change. The
  economic, cultural, and environmental effects of
  globalization are highly contested.

Panama, 1997
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