SSE 1 Human Geography PDF

# TAGOLOAN Community College ## MODULE WEEK NO.1-2 ### Course Details * **College/ Department**: Education/social studies * **COURSE Code**: SSE 1 * **Course Name**: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ### Course Module **Human geography** is one of the two major branches of geography, together with **physical geo...

# TAGOLOAN Community College ## MODULE WEEK NO.1-2 ### Course Details * **College/ Department**: Education/social studies * **COURSE Code**: SSE 1 * **Course Name**: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ### Course Module **Human geography** is one of the two major branches of geography, together with **physical geography**. Human geography is also called **cultural geography**. It is the study of the many cultural aspects found throughout the world and how they relate to the spaces and places where they originate and the spaces and places they then travel to, as people continually move across various areas. Some of the main cultural phenomena studied in human geography include language, religion, different economic and governmental structures, art, music, and other cultural aspects that explain how and/or why people function as they do in the areas in which they live. **Globalization** is also becoming increasingly important to the field of human geography as it is allowing these specific aspects of culture to travel across the globe easily. **Cultural landscapes** are important to the field because they link culture to the physical environments in which people live. A cultural landscape can either limit or nurture the development of various aspects of culture. For instance, people living in a rural area are often more culturally tied to the natural environment around them than those living in a large metropolitan area. This is generally the focus of the "Man-Land Tradition" in the Four Traditions of geography, which studies the human impact on nature, the impact of nature on humans, and people's perception of the environment. ### Intended Learning Outcomes * Discuss the meaning of urban geography. * Explain the role of urban geography and understanding cities. ### Activity * Mini-workshops on using a globe and map to locate places. * Creating a special-purpose map showing the various parts/elements. * Go to *about Geography* Website: https://geography.about.com ### Discussion **Topic:** I. INTRODUCTION 1. The Historical Evolution of Geographical thought 2. Ancient Geography 3. Modern Geography 4. Approaches to geography # Human Geography ### History of Human Geography Human geography developed out of the University of California, Berkeley and was led by Professor Carl Sauer. He used landscapes as the defining unit of geographic study and said that cultures develop because of the landscape and also, conversely, help to develop the landscape. Sauer’s work and the cultural geography of today are highly qualitative in contrast to the quantitative methodology used in physical geography. ### Human Geography Today Human geography is still practiced, and more specialized fields within it have developed to further aid in the study of cultural practices and human activities as they relate spatially to the world. Such specialized fields include feminist geography, children's geography, tourism studies, urban geography, the geography of sexuality and space, and political geography. ### COURSE MODULE 1. The Historical Evolution of Geographical Thought 2. Ancient geography 3. Modern Geography 4. Approaches to Geography "Geographic thought" as commonly understood in the discipline of geography encompasses the development of geographic knowledge in particular places, times, and contexts. Accordingly, it has traditionally been—and continues to be-primarily approached from a historical perspective. "Geographic thought” as commonly understood in the discipline of geography encompasses the development of geographic knowledge in particular places, times, and contexts. Accordingly, it has traditionally been—and continues to be primarily approached from a historical perspective. Geographic thought in the United States has evolved through a series of well-recognized and charted phases, with evident regional groundings, and is clearly linked to larger socioeconomic conditions, political climates, and cultural expressions. Although geographic thought in the United States exhibits distinctive traits that set it apart from other national traditions, parallels can be pointed to elsewhere, particularly in the United Kingdom, where common language facilitated frequent exchanges and cross-fertilizations. Geographic thought in North America predates the formation of the United States of America, but colonial geography's articulations were primarily outside the academy in practical activities such as survey, mapping, and resource inventory. Geographic thought in the colonial colleges was largely imported from their British counterparts. During the preprofessional national period from the American Revolution through the mid-19th century, the main arenas continued to be practical, with some implantations in the academy. Geographical compendia, gazetteers, atlases, and other empirical media found popular acceptance and readerships. In the mid- to late 19th century the government-sponsored Great Western US surveys helped establish physical geography's relevance, and environmental-determinist doctrine helped put human geography in the popular mind as well as in school curricula. With the turn of the 20th century, geographic thought came to be formally established college and university curricula, new societies and associations were founded, and professionals were produced. During the 1920s, US geographic thought underwent its first "paradigmatic shift”—from simplistic environmentalist and deductive physiographic programs to "possibilist" human and inductivist physical-geographic approaches. The 1930s and 1940s saw a celebration of chorology or regionalism. The post-World War II period of the 1950s and 1960s witnessed a sharp turn toward spatial analytical and “scientific” methods both in human and physical geography. In turn, the 1970s and 1980s spawned critiques of the “quantitative revolution,” initially in the form of politically radical new directions and a retooling of humanistic impulses. By the 1990s the twin critical currents of radicalism and humanism had ramified in multiple new theoretical and methodological directions. This pluralism pertains today, with the former orthodoxies and approaches being retrofitted; for example, spatial science as GIS (geographic information science), or the “new” cultural geography. At the same time, US geographic thought continues both to borrow from and to serve as a source of theoretical and methodological direction for other disciplines. “Geography” derives from the Greek γεωγραφία – geographia, literally "Earth-writing", that is, description or writing about the Earth. The first person to use the word geographia was Eratosthenes (276–194 BC) ### What is the modern definition of geography? Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it. ... Geography seeks to understand where things are found, why they are there, and how they develop and change over time. ### A. Meaning of Urban Geography * Urban Geography is a subfield of human geography that focuses on the study of urban areas, their development, organization, and the social, economic, and environmental processes that shape them. It examines how cities and towns are structured, how they function, and how they evolve over time. Key aspects include: * **Spatial Organization**: Analyzes the layout of cities, including land use patterns, transportation systems, and the distribution of various urban functions (residential, commercial, industrial). * **Urbanization**: Studies the process of urban growth and the migration of populations from rural to urban areas, exploring the factors driving this trend. * **Social Dynamics**: Investigates social issues within urban contexts, such as segregation, gentrification, and the impact of demographics on urban life. * **Environmental Impact**: Examines how urbanization affects the environment, including pollution, urban heat islands, and sustainability challenges. * **Cultural and Economic Activities**: Explores the cultural, economic, and political activities that occur within urban spaces, including the role of cities as centers of innovation and cultural exchange. * **B. Role of Urban Geography in Understanding Cities** Urban geography plays a critical role in understanding cities and their complexities in several ways: * **Insight into Urban Processes**: By examining how cities grow and change, urban geography provides insights into the processes of urbanization, including economic development, migration patterns, and demographic shifts. * **Policy and Planning**: Urban geography informs urban planners and policymakers by providing data and analyses that guide decisions on land use, transportation, housing, and infrastructure development. Understanding spatial patterns helps create more efficient and livable urban environments. * **Social Equity and Justice**: The field highlights social issues within urban areas, such as inequality and access to resources. Understanding these dynamics can lead to more equitable urban policies and community engagement strategies. * **Cultural Understanding**: Urban geography helps to understand the cultural landscapes of cities, including how communities express identity through public spaces, architecture, and urban design. This understanding fosters appreciation for diversity within urban settings. * **Sustainability and Resilience**: As cities face challenges such as climate change, urban geography contributes to developing sustainable practices and resilient urban systems. It explores how cities can adapt to environmental changes and promote sustainability. * **Global Perspectives**: Urban geography allows for comparative studies of cities worldwide, examining how global trends affect local urban contexts. This perspective aids in understanding the interconnectedness of urban issues on a global scale. Urban geography is essential for comprehending the complexities of urban life and the dynamics that shape cities. It provides valuable insights into urban processes, informs policy and planning, and addresses critical social and environmental issues, ultimately contributing to the development of more sustainable and equitable urban environments. ### Exercise * How do cultural practices and beliefs influence the spatial organization of communities in different regions? * In what ways can geography be useful to you in your current field of study or occupation? * What role does human geography play in addressing social issues such as inequality, migration, and urbanization? ### Assessment * Research about the three models/approaches in human geography * Discuss the challenges and their corresponding solutions in each approaches ### Reflection * How do critical geography and feminist geography challenge traditional geographical paradigms, and what implications do they have for understanding spatial dynamics in space? ### Resources and Additional Resources * www.Academia.com * https://geography.about.com