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Discover the fundamentals of geography, including the concepts of environment, diffusion, and location. Explore how geography influences the distribution of people and phenomena. See the impact of culture on the landscape and the interaction between humans and the environment.
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Definition of Geography Place: Site/Situation Why places and people are where they are: Environment/Ecumene! Where… How their location affects other places: Diffusion!
Contemplate don’t write but what exactly is it? • A way of thinking spatially about what our world is =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. • 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?
Location--Absolute and Relative Absolute is a measure of latitude/longitude; a specific mathematical location Relative is a description using the nearby surroundings or unique features of the location; it’s situation in relations to others
Regions • displays a degree of uniformity / differentiates areas • basic unit of study for the geographer • Thing we identify is called a phenomenon
Formal (Uniform) Regions activity or cultural trait like corn production, bible belt …are areas that have some degree of homogeneity in one or more phenomena.
Formal Regions (cont) A country, state, city or region Formal Education systems in Switzerland …are legally bound or defined by something they share.
Functional (nodal) Regions Newspaper, baseball team, or an airport A city and its suburbs …are defined by a set of activities or interactions that occur within it.
Perceptual Regions Vernacular regions (common term) A perception of an area using environment, culture, ideology…like a stereotype
Hierarchies of Regions World Realms The United States Texas Austin Regions exist within a vertical order, and one place can be part of several regions simultaneously.
Landscape--also important, but not one of the five themes Landscape is the material character of a place / natural habitat. Aspects introduced by humans is “built environment” or “cultural landscape”
Place and Sense of Place Every place is unique. Imagine where you lived as a child. What made that special? Sensory Architecture Symbolic Cultural and Built Landscape show us the human impact and provides evidence of 2 theories of human and environment interaction
What kinds of cultural values are reflected in each of these American houses? Gated community?
1 2 Where are we? What values are reflected in each? What relation to physical environment? 4 3
Timber House, Switzerland Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey Yurt on Mongolian Steppe Suburban Home, Chicago
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.
Is it we who impact the environment or is it the environment that impacts us????
N.Y.C. Environmentally Determinism or Possibilism?
What about Bali, Indonesia?
Clash of the Titans As you view each of the slides, ask yourself these questions: Who wins the fight woman/man or nature? Why? Can woman/man conquer all environments? Does the environment determine our destiny?
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