Topic/Chapter: Introduction to Human Geography

Name: Topic/Chapter: Introduction to Human Geography/Chapter 1 Opening Field Note synopsis: Food consumption around the world is currently distributed unevenly. Although it would appear that arable lands are more likely to be malnourished, Norway is wealthy and well-‐fed with only 4% of arable land, making this untrue. On the other hand, places like Kenya are unable to keep over 30% of its people nourished because it does not produce the food it needs. These facts give contradictory ideas. The best way to find the answer the question of how nations become wealthy and well-‐fed is through fieldwork by geographers. Questions such as these will need its own path of geographic inquiry to answer. 1. Key Question: What is human geography? Main Idea(s) Human geographers study people and places. The focus is on how people make places, how we organize space/society, how we interact with each other in places, and how we make sense of others/ourselves in our localities, regions, and the world. Supporting Detail(s) Description of visuals/Field notes o Advances in communication and transportation technologies, are making Fig 1.1 (1) places and people more interconnected, therefore justifying the need for the o Kericho, Kenya. Tea plantations established by study of human geography. British colonists in western Kenya. o With nearly 200 countries, there is a large diversity of religions, languages, o Exemplifies how people alter and manipulate their and settlement types. These attributes come together in varying densities physical geographic environment. around the world. Understanding and explaining the diversity caused by this is the job of a human geographer. Fig 1.3 (4) o Globalization is the set of processes that are increasing interactions, o World ʹ Per Capita Gross National Income (in U.S deepening relationships, and heightening interdependence without regard to dollars), 2007. country borders; the outcome resulted from these global processes. o Describes how outcomes of globalization are o When geographers look at the outcomes of globalization as being distributed distributed unevenly. unevenly, they use scale to understand the interrelationships among individual, local, regional, national, and global. What happens at the global scale affects the local, but also the individual, regional and national. o The understanding of globalization is necessary, because processes at the global scale and processes that disregard country borders are clearly changing human geography. o All places are affected and created by people, and reflects the culture of the people in that place because as people travel, they organize themselves into communities/nations/societal networks, and establish systems that enable them to function. Thinking Geographically: Imagine and describe the most remote place on Earth you can think of 100 years ago. Now, describe how globalization has changed this place and how the people there continue to shape it ʹ to make it the place it is today. Your thoughts: One place I think of when I think of remote areas is the Bornean Islands. It is a series of small islands with very few people on it. Although it is still pretty unpopulated, there are some researchers studying the animals in this region, and they are able to share findings through the technological advancement of the internet! As more and more people read about Borneo and became aware of its existance, more scientists will go there for their studies, and other people will move there. -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ 2. Key Question: What are geographic questions? Main Idea(s) o 'ĞŽŐƌĂƉŚǇŝƐƚŚĞ͞ǁŚǇŽĨ
ǁŚĞƌĞ͘͟tŚǇĂƌĞƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐƐ
found in certain places but ŶŽƚŝŶŽƚŚĞƌƐ͍͞^ŽǁŚĂƚ͍͟
Why does it matter that things are different across space? o Whether they are human geographers or physical geographers, virtually all geographers are interested in the spatial arrangement of places and phenomena, how they are laid out on the Earth, and how they appear on the landscape. Supporting Detail(s) Maps in the Time of Cholera Pandemics In medical geography, mapping the distribution of a disease is the first step to finding its cause, such as when Dr. John Snow mapped cases of cholera in 1854 of >ŽŶĚŽŶ͛Ɛ^ŽŚŽŝƐƚƌŝĐƚƚŽůĞĂƌŶĂďŽƵƚƚŚĞƌŽůĞŽĨĐŽŶƚĂŵŝŶĂƚĞĚǁĂƚĞƌŝŶƚŚĞ
spread of cholera. The Spatial Perspective o Understanding change over time is critically important, and understanding change across a space is equally as important. o Human geographers use spatial perspective as they study a multitude of phenomena ranging from political elections and urban shantytowns to gay neighborhoods and folk music. o The Five Themes Location ʹ highlights how the geographical position of people and things ŽŶƚŚĞĂƌƚŚ͛ƐƐƵƌĨĂce affects what happens and why; fosters interest in location theory. Human-‐environment ʹ the reciprocal relationship between humans and the physical world. Region ʹ ĂŶĂƌĞĂŽŶƚŚĞĂƌƚŚ͛ƐƐƵrface marked by a degree of formal, functional, or perceptual homogeneity of some phenomenon. Place ʹ ƵŶŝƋƵĞŶĞƐƐŽĨĂůŽĐĂƚŝŽŶ͖ĂĨĨĞĐƚĞĚďǇƉĞŽƉůĞ͛Ɛsense of place and perceptions of places. Movement ʹ the mobility of people, goods, and ideas across the surface of the planet; special interaction between places depends on the distances among places, the accessibility of places, and the transportation/communication connectivity among places. o Cultural Landscape ʹ the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape; the layers of buildings, forms, and artifacts sequentially imprinted on the landscape by the activities of various human occupants. o Any cultural landscape has layers of imprints from years of human activity. dŚĞĂĐƚŝǀŝƚǇƚŚĂƚŽĐĐƵƌƐŽŶĐĞƚŚĞƌĞĚĞƉĞŶĚƐŽŶƚŚĞŐƌŽƵƉ͛ƐƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐŝĐĂůĂŶĚ
cultural traditions, as well as what they find when they arrive. This then results in sequent occupance. o Sequent occupance is the term Derwent Whittlesey proposed in 1929 to describe that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape. o A good example of sequent occupance is the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, in which Arabs, Germans, British, and Indians came and contributed their own culture to the region, developing the unique culture of this area. o Texts ͞ZĞĐĞŶƚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚƐŝŶƵůƚƵƌĂů'ĞŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ͟;ϭϵϮϳͿʹ article written by Description of visuals/Field notes Fig 1.7 (13) o Where Pennsylvanian/Californian Students Prefer to Live o Displays how sense of place and perceptions of places impacts an individual. Fig 1.9 (15) o Mumbai, India and Dar-‐es-‐Salaam, Tanzania o Shows how people bring their own cultures to a region and influence it in that way. o In this case, migrants from India came to Tanzania and brought along their taste for three-‐ and four-‐
story apartment houses. Carl Sauer, person most closely identified with cultural landscape, in ǁŚŝĐŚŚĞĂƌŐƵĞĚƚŚĂƚĐƵůƚƵƌĂůůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞƐĂƌĞĐŽŵƉƌŝƐĞĚŽĨƚŚĞ͞ĨŽƌŵƐ
ƐƵƉĞƌŝŵƉŽƐĞĚŽŶƚŚĞƉŚǇƐŝĐĂůůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͟ďǇŚƵŵĂŶĂĐƚŝǀŝƚǇ͘ Axioms for Reading the Landscape (1979) ʹ written by Pierce Lewis, explĂŝŶĞĚƚŚĂƚ͞ŽƵƌŚƵŵĂŶůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞŝƐŽƵƌƵŶǁŝƚƚŝŶŐĂƵƚŽďŝŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ͕
reflecting our tastes, our values, our aspirations, and even our fears, in ƚĂŶŐŝďůĞ͕ǀŝƐŝďůĞĨŽƌŵ͘͟ Thinking Geographically: Geographers who practice fieldwork keep their eyes open to the world around them and through practice become adept at reading cultural landscapes. Take a walk around ǇŽƵƌĐĂŵƉƵƐŽƌƚŽǁŶĂŶĚƚƌǇƌĞĂĚŝŶŐƚŚĞĐƵůƚƵƌĂůůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͘ŚŽŽƐĞŽŶĞƚŚŝŶŐŝŶƚŚĞůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞĂŶĚĂƐŬǇŽƵƌƐĞůĨ͕͞tŚĂƚŝƐƚŚĂƚ and why is it ƚŚĞƌĞ͍͟dĂŬĞƚŚĞƚŝŵĞƚŽĨŝŶĚŽƵƚƚŚĞĂŶƐǁĞƌƐ͊ Your thoughts: For this activity, I thought of the fast food restaurant, Five Guys. The first Five Guys restaurant opened in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia, probably around the same time as other fast food restaurants were starting out. From there, they started opening in more locations before making it a franchise and expanding to over 40 states and 4 ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶƉƌŽǀŝŶĐĞƐ͘&ŝǀĞ'ƵǇƐŶŽǁŚĂƐĂůŽĐĂƚŝŽŶŝŶDĞůďŽƵƌŶĞ͕/ƚŚŝŶŬ͕ďĞĐĂƵƐĞŵĞƌŝĐĂ͛ƐůŽǀĞĨŽƌŽŶ-‐the-‐go, greasy foods has allowed them to be successful and keep their business running. -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ 3. Key Question: Why do geographers use maps, and what do maps tell us? Main Idea(s) o Maps are used for countless purposes ʹ to wage war, make political propaganda, solve medical problems, locate shopping centers, bring relief to refugees, and warn of natural hazards. o Plotting absolute locations to make a reference map is made simple with the use of a coordinate system (i.e. latitude and longitude). Supporting Detail(s) Mental Maps o Mental maps ʹ an image or picture of the way space is organized as ĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚďǇĂŶĚŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů͛ƐƉĞƌĐĞƉƚŝŽŶ͕ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶ͕ĂŶĚŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŽĨ
that space. o Our mental maps of the places within our activity spaces, those places we travel to routinely in our rounds of daily activity, are more accurate and detailed than places we have never been. o Geographers who study human-‐environment behavior have made extensive studies of how people develop their mental maps, including children, the blind, new residents to cities, men, and women, all of whom exhibit differences in the formation of mental maps. Generalization Maps All maps simplify the world, because reference maps, for instance, cannot show every place in the world. When mapping data, cartographers generalize the information they present on the maps. They help us to see general trends of an area, but we cannot see all cases of a given phenomenon. Remote Sensing and GIS o Geographers monitor the Earth from a distance, using remote sensing, using technology that is a distance way from the place being studied, like satellites and aircraft. The data collected are almost instantaneously available. o Remotely sensed images can be incorporated in a map, and absolute Description of visuals/Field notes Fig 1.11 (18-‐19) o Average Annual Precipitation of the World o Exemplifies how we can see general trends in precipitation, such as higher-‐precipitation levels on the equatorial region, but difficult to see the microscale climates of intense precipitation areas everywhere in the world. Fig 1.12 (20) o Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina o Displays how remotely sensed images are used in weather. locations can be studied over time by plotting changes in the images. o Advances in geographic information systems (GIS) allow geographers to compare and analyze a variety of spatial data and give us new insight into geographic patterns and relationships of human and physical geographic research. o Geographers trained in GIS apply the software technologies in countless fields today, such as software companies, government agencies, and businesses use GIS in surveying wildlife, mapping soils, analyzing natural disasters, etc. o The amount of data digestible in a GIS, the power of location analysis possible with computer hardware, and the ease of analysis with GIS software applications allow geographers to answer complicated questions using GIS. o A new term of art used in geography, GISc,, is the geographic information science. It is an emerging research field concerned with studying the development and use of geospatial concepts and the techniques to examine geographic patterns and processes. Thinking Geographically: Use Google Earth to find a place where a humanitarian crisis is occurring today (such as Myanmar or Darfur) and study the physical and human geography overlaid on Google Earth in this place. How does studying this place on Google Earth change your mental map of the place and/or your understanding of this crisis? Your Thoughts: /ƚƌŝĞĚƚŽůŽŽŬĂƚĂƌĨƵƌŽŶŐŽŽŐůĞŵĂƉƐ͕ďƵƚŝƚĚŽĞƐŶ͛ƚĂůůŽǁƚŚĞǀŝĞǁĞƌƚŽŽŵƵĐŚĚĞƚĂŝůǁŚĞŶǌŽŽŵŝŶŐŝŶ͕ĂŶĚƐŚŽǁƐŵŽƐƚůǇĞmpty land. D: -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ 4. Key Question: Why are geographers concerned with scale and connectedness? Main idea Supporting Details Description of Visuals/Field notes o
Regions Fig 1.18 (26) o
o
Gulin, China o
Shows how a formal physical region is based on a shared physical geographic criterion. o
o
Geographers recognize that what is happening at the global scale affects localities and that what is happening at a local scale affects the globe. o
The scale at which we study a geographic phenomenon tells us what level of detail we can o
expect to see. The level of detail and the patterns observed change as the scale changes, therefore geographers must be sensitive to their scale of o
Regions serve as informal frames of reference for both geographers and nongeographers. Geographers divide the world into regions for analysis, while others use it in things such as planning a dream vacation. A formal region has a shared trait, either cultural trait or physical trait. In formal cultural regions, people share one or more cultural traits. A functional region is defined by a particular set of activities or interactions that occur within it. Places that are part of the same functional region interact to create connections, and have a shared political/social/economic purpose. Perceptual regions are intellectual constructs designed to help use understand the nature and distribution of phenomena in human geography. The perception are based on our accumulated knowledge about such Fig 1.22 (30) o
Contagious and Hierarchical Diffusion o
Shows the difference of contagious diffusion from hierarchical diffusion, using a diagram of dots. analysis and be wary of research that make generalizations without considering scales. regions and cultures. o
Cultural geographer Wilbur Zelinsky looked to define and delimit the perceptual regions of the US and Canada. He did this by analyzing the telephone directories of 200+ metropolitan areas. Culture o
Culture is the all-‐encompassing term that identifies whole tangible lifestyl of people, their prevailing values and benefits; closely associated with discipline of anthropology. o
Cultural geographers identify a single attribute of a culture as a culture trait. More than one culture may exhibit a particular culture trait, but each will consist of a discrete combination of traits, called culture complex. Connectedness through Diffusion o
Cultural Diffusion is the process of dissemination, the spread of an idea or innovation from its hearth to other places. o
Whether diffusion of a cultural trait occurs depends in part on time and distance from the hearth. The acceptance of an innovation becomes less likely the longer it takes to reach its potential adopters. o
Expansion diffusion ʹ the spread of an innovation or an idea through a population in such a way that the number of those influenced grows continuously larger, resulting in an expanding area of dissemination. o
Contagious diffusion ʹ nearly all adjacent individuals/places affected Hierarchical diffusion ʹ main channel of diffusion is some segment of those susceptible to idea. Stimulus diffusion ʹ spread through indirectly promoting local experimentation Relocation diffusion ʹ ĂĐƚƵĂůŵŽǀĞŵĞŶƚŽĨŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůǁŚŽ͛ǀĞĂůƌĞĂĚǇ
adopted the idea/innovation, and proceed to disseminate it. Thinking Geographically: Once you think about different types of diffusion, you will be tempted to figure out what kind of diffusion is taking place for all sorts of goods, ideas, or diseases. Please remember that any good, idea, or disease can diffuse in more that one way. Choose a good, idea, or disease as an example and describe how it diffused from its hearth across the globe, referring to at least three different types of diffusion. Your Thoughts: Tacos are originally a Mexican food, however through location diffusion, it came to the US in the for of Taco Bell. Taco Bell probably then had to strengtrhen itself in around its original establishment with expansion diffusion before spreading throught the rest of the US by hierarchical diffusion. -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ 5. Key Question: What are geographic concepts, and how are they used in answering geographic questions? Main Idea Supporting Details o
In doing geographic research, Rejection of Environmental Determinism a geographer thinks of a o Environmental determinism was expressed by Ellsworth Huntington and geographic questions, one C.W. Cushing in the Principles of Human Geography (1940) that human that has a spatial or behavior, individually and collectively, is strongly affected by ʹ even landscape component, controlled or determined by ʹ the physical environment. chooses the scales of analysis, and then applies o For a time, some geographers attempted to explain the location of major one or more geographic cultural hearths as solely a function of environment. However, certain concepts to conduct research geographers doubted whether these generalizations were valid. and answer the questions. o
o
To understand what geographers do and how they do it, it is easiest to start by defining what geography is not. o
In Climate and the Energy of Nations (1947), Sidney Markham thought that by tracing the migration of the center of power in the Mediterranean, he could detect the changing climates of that part of Europe during several thousands of years of glacial retreat. ,ĞĂƌŐƵĞĚƚŚĂƚĂƐŶĞǁƉůĂĐĞƐ͞ƚŚĂǁĞĚ͟
after the Ice Age, they became the center of power. Although becoming increasingly cautious about such speculative notions, geographers began asking new questions about human-‐environment relationships. Possibilism o
Possibilism emerged as a reaction to environmental determinism, espoused by geographers who argued that the natural environment merely serves to limit the range of choices available to a culture. o
Geographers increasingly accepted the doctrine of possibilism, but even possibilism has its limitations because it encourages a line of inquiry that starts with the physical environment and asks what it allows. o
Research today tends to focus on how and why humans have altered environment, and on the sustainability of their practices. o
The fundamental point is that human societies are diverse and the human will is too powerful to be determined by environment. dŽĚĂǇ͛Ɛ,ƵŵĂŶ'ĞŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ o
Human geography has many subdisciplines: political, economic, population, Description of Visuals/ field notes N/A urban, human, cultural (i.e. religion, language, ethnicity). o
Cultural geography is both part of human geography and also its own approach to all aspects of human geography because it looks at the ways culture is implicated in the full spectrum of topics addressed in human geography. Thinking Geographically: Choose a geographic concept introduced in this chapter. Think about something that is of personal interest to you (music, literature, politics, science, sports), and think about how you could use a geographic concept to study this interest. Think about space and location, your geographic concept, and your interest. Write a geographic question that could be the foundation of a geographic study. Your Thoughts: The geographic concept of GIS could be used in order to analyze the concert tour of a particular music group. One could plot the cities in which concerts are planned to take place, the distance between them, and why it is like that. The locations are most likely based on the number of fans in that region, so a good geographic question of this study could be: Where are fans of this band located and how does it influence the route the band will take for their tour?

Download Report

Topic/Chapter: Introduction to Human Geography

Paperzz.com

Your Paperzz